The Thirteenth
by Rondabunny
Summary: What if Miss Peregrine had a niece, would she be proud to have such an offspring of her brother Jack? All peculiar children are included together with Jacob. The stories of each child would be revealed in continuation. (Feedback is deeply appreciated) :)
1. Chapter 1

**The Thirteenth**

 **Part 1**

September 3, 1943 was a wonderful sunny day. Miss Peregrine was tidying up the house together with Fiona and Olive. Jake and Emma where busy with the baby squirrel while Hugh and Millard where playing football outside. Bronwyn and Claire's giggles could be heard from the open window. The girls were enjoying themselves on the swings. Suddenly one of the twins ran into the room screaming something in the language that only his brother and Miss Peregrine understood. The boy saw the air as if it was an emergency and as it appeared later the situation was totally awful.

" _What?! Where?!"_ Miss Peregrine dropped the broom and hurried outside.

" _Miss P., I took him out but I think he isn't breathing,"_ Horace, soaked to his skin, bend over the little boy's body but wasn't brave enough to take the mask from boy's face.

" _Thank you, Horace. Let me see. Olive, take Horace inside. He needs to change."_ said the ymbryne totally horrified by the picture in front of her. " _Others turn around if you don't want to turn into stone!"_ She ordered strictly but deep inside she didn't want to be so harsh on kids at the moment.

In one motion she took the mask off twin's head. His gray skin became greyish blue. The boy didn't breath. Miss Peregrine pricked his nose and blew some air into his mouth. She repeated it several times together with the cardiac massage.

" _Come on, Thomas. Please, breathe, please,"_ she whispered doing the CPR.

The other twin looked at them desperately not knowing what to do. He whimpered, screeched and scratched and was obviously terrified by the thought that he could lose his brother. Minutes went by in a slow motion still every second that passed was irreversible for a seven year old lying on the grass near the pond. But Alma wouldn't be an ymbryne if she gave up so easily. She was crowned with success. Thomas coughed vomiting water and everything that he had in his stomach, his lungs filled with air and he opened his snake-like eyes looking straight at Miss Peregrine.

" _Thomas, my little boy!"_ She hugged him gently still giving him the possibility to get rid of water in his lungs and stomach. He screeched something in return for this motherly hug and put his arms around woman's neck. Joseph also joined this family embrace.

" _OK, Thomas. Let's go and get you changed until you caught some drastic cold in these wet clothes."_ She took the boy in her arms and strolled back to the house. _"Could you please, close your eyes, darling? Unfortunately, I can't turn stone into human beings back."_ She whispered in his ear. The boy obediently closed his eyes putting his arms even tighter around her neck but she didn't mind.

Miss Peregrine was the only ymbryne of the kind that wasn't afraid of peculiarities of her young charges. Olive's fire didn't burn her, she wasn't afraid of Enoch's puppets or Hugh's bees which could get really violent sometimes and even stung her once or twice but she never complained. The same was with the twins. Their peculiarity to turn living things into statues didn't work on her. That's why Alma took these two from another loop to make the life of Miss Kite easier.

" _Emma, please, stay with twins. They are still in a shock. Olive, I would appreciate if you find our mysterious Enoch and bring him to me. I would like to know what happened on his watch. Jake, can you keep an eye on the others outside?"_ She walked downstairs giving instructions on her way to older children who were overwhelmed by everything that occurred twenty minutes ago.

" _Sure, Miss P.,"_ said the older boy and went outside.

" _Horace, thank you so much for being such a brave boy!"_ She came to the boy and kissed him in the forehead. _"How do you feel?"_

" _My suit is ruined but on the whole I'm fine. How are the twins?"_ a fair-haired boy asked a little bit ashamed by such careful attention to his humble personality.

" _Still terrified but they will be fine. Thank you, my little hero."_ She smiled a warm smile at him and Horace felt proud at least once in his life. _"I think I can recover your suit to its initial state."_

" _I'll go and see how the twins are,"_ said the boy smiling back at Miss Peregrine.

" _Just one more question."_

" _Yes, Miss Peregrine."_

" _Where was Enoch when everything happened?"_ She stared at the boy trying to see right into his soul.

" _He grumbled something about going to the seaside because he saw a new lizard yesterday there. He told me to take care of the twins."_ Horace half stated half apologized.

" _And you did it very well, Mr. Somnusson. I'm very proud of you."_ She smiled once again and went to the bathroom to leave soaked twin's clothes there.

" _Oh, Enoch, there you are!"_ exclaimed Olive very disappointed by his behavior.

The older boy didn't even turn his head because he was dissecting the poor lizard to take out its heart.

" _Enoch, do you hear me!"_ The red-headed girl repeated. Nevertheless, the boy vouchsaved no reply whatsoever. This really angered the girl and the next thing Enoch was looking at was the burning remnants of what was left of the lizard.

" _Why on earth did you do that! Do you know how hard it is to find any good lizards on this damn island?!"_ He shouted at Olive which she accepted without wincing.

" _I don't care about lizards, toads or other reptiles that you are going to kill. One of the twins nearly drowned in the pond while you were away. So, believe me the bird is not just angry at you, she is infuriated. She sent me to find you. I wish you good luck because nothing would help you right now,"_ the girl concluded and went away leaving the teen to think about the trouble he was in. _"I would already be at home if I were you, of course, because the more you think the worse it would be."_

Unwillingly Enoch stood up and pottered along the path after the girl. It seemed to him that sometimes Olive could be as strict as Miss Peregrine. He wanted neither of them to treat him as he was a five year old but today it was his fault and he understood that completely.

" _Is he alright?"_ He asked Olive in a hoarse voice because his throat became absolutely dry.

" _Yes, thank God, Miss P. knows how to do a CPR!"_ stated the girl feeling sorry for the older boy, though.

Going to the house Enoch thought about his horrible fate. At the age of eleven neighbors set on fire their house after they have found out how the son of the undertaker profanes the bodies of the dead by stealing their hearts in order to revive some puppets or vice-verse reviving dead people just out of curiosity. When his father found out about this strange ability of Enoch to revive the dead it seemed appealing to him. He thought he could do some profit of this. However, dead bodies were dead bodies no matter what you did to them they were bond to deteriorate and become the dust. That's why the whole idea didn't work from the start and their family even had to move to another part of Britain to flee away from angry and disappointed relatives. Still, Enoch's ability didn't go anywhere. So, he needed practice and he found it by helping his father with the dead. During the day he took care of those cadavers and at night he practiced his abilities. The bigger the heart was the longer was the life of an inanimate object. For two years everything went quite good until one curious boy hid in the vault where the undertaker kept the deceased. Of course, the child was terrified by Enoch's tricks. The next day the whole village came to his father. Without looking into the matter they accused his family in witchcraft and set their house on fire. Luckily, the villagers let them leave, but after this terrifying episode his father told Enoch to go away and never come back, which he did not wanting his brothers and sisters to get into trouble because of him. His mother was afraid of her own son since the day she discovered about his strange power. So, he couldn't say that she even liked him as she was always irritated when Enoch was around and tried to make the siblings treat their brother as a weird one. That's how his lonely life began. He begged for a crust of bread going from one village to another a little eleven-year old boy alone in the whole world. If in summer and autumn the existence was bearable than in winter it became totally awful. He could vividly remember the day when local boys in a small town wanted to mock at him. They surrounded him and started pushing the boy from one to another. He tried to stop them, tried to get out of the circle but the punches became more violent. Enoch could feel blood running from his nose, when suddenly they heard a strict low voice of the woman, who seemed to appear out of nowhere. She had a huge bag on her shoulder and she scared those boys to death by saying that she would call a policeman immediately. Miss Peregrine wore a long grey coat with fur collar. Snowflakes dropped on her cute hat and she gave Enoch her gloved hand to help him stand up. The woman stopped the bleeding and gave him some sandwiches to eat, which he swallowed like a hungry beast each in three bites.

" _What's your name?"_ she asked him curiously staring with those big unblinking eyes at the hungry boy.

" _Enoch, Ma'am."_ He answered between the bites.

" _Do you have a surname?"_ She couldn't help looking at his hungry eating habits.

" _O'Connor, Ma'am."_ He replied with full mouth which sounded really funny.

" _I'm Alma Peregrine and it's Miss."_ She presented herself. _"Will you help me do some shopping Mr. Connor? I have so much to buy that I'm sure I'll be in need of such a gentleman as you are to help me carry everything home, if you don't mind, of course."_ Miss P. asked politely.

He didn't mind at all even to go on a ferry with her. She was the first person that year, who wasn't humiliating him or trying to get rid of him. So, he was eager to follow her anywhere even to hell. Enoch's heart beat faster and faster the minute they came to the door of the beautiful mansion. It was already evening and he didn't have time to get back to the mainland. Now he was hesitating what to do. In his ragged clothes he wasn't sure this pretty lady would invite him to stay at least for the night. Instead, when a ten-year old blonde girl opened the door Miss Peregrine asked Enoch to get the bags inside and closed the door after herself. Another boy older than Enoch took bags from Miss Peregrine and showed Enoch the way to the kitchen.

" _Victor Bruntley,"_ the older boy shook Enoch's hand in the kitchen.

" _Enoch O'Connor,"_ Enoch shook Victor's hand without any enthusiasm.

" _Thanks God you are a boy because I started to think that I'm living in a hen-coop! We have another boy but he's six and not much to talk to."_

" _Mr. Bruntley, I'd rather you didn't speak about our loop in such a scornful tone. The girls living here don't deserve to be spoken about in this way!"_ Miss Peregrine reprimanded the older boy. _"I remember not long ago it was you, Mr. Bruntley, who asked me to take care of you and your sister. Where is she by the way?"_

" _Playing with Millard in the nursery."_

" _And who is watching them, I wonder?"_ She asked raising one eyebrow.

" _Emma,"_ was the reply.

" _Emma opened the door a minute ago and is now in the living room sorting out some of the purchase,"_ saying so Miss Peregrine flew away from the kitchen into the nursery.

This memory made Enoch smile. Where are those good old days when he was a 12 year-old boy who knew nothing about time loops, ymrynes and peculiar children?

 _ **To be continued…**_


	2. Chapter 2

**The Thirteenth**

 **Part 2**

Enoch entered the room waiting for worse. Miss Peregrine, who was busy cutting some vegetables in the kitchen, has been silent for several minutes not looking at Enoch whose presence she has been aware of.

" _May I help with dinner?"_ asked Olive hesitantly.

" _Thank you, Olive. You may go,"_ the woman pronounced in a very controlled voice.

Olive hastily disappeared from the kitchen leaving Enoch alone with their headmistress.

" _Maybe you come in properly and won't be standing in the doorway, Enoch,"_ Miss Peregrine said strictly still standing at the counter chopping vegetables.

The teen came in and approached her silently preparing for anything that might happen.

" _Enoch, why did you leave them alone?"_ She pronounced tiredly as if it was terribly hard for her to talk.

" _I told Horace to keep an eye on them,"_ he defended, _"And by the way, isn't it your work to take care of us?!"_ The whole situation pissed him off. Why on earth should he apologize? It was her responsibility not his to take care of them. She was an ymbryne, she made them stay in this stupid time loop. It would be great if they were at least on mainland, but here on the island for nearly a century living one and the same day again and again it would have driven crazy anyone not only a teenager in his puberty period.

" _Yes, you are right. It is also my fault for relying on an irresponsible teenager to do my work. It was much easier for me when I had only five of you. At that time I could pay more attention to each of you and for sure Victor would still be alive. This is my fault mine and only, so what do you suggest me to do? Whom should I give away Olive, Hugh or Millard or maybe Jake. would it be satisfying for you?"_ She pierced boy's face with her unblinking eyes.

" _I didn't say that!"_

" _Then what should I do? If I had an ability to separate myself into 12 pieces to keep an eye on each of you, you know I would gladly do this. Unfortunately, it's impossible. So, if you have any other bright ideas then shoot. I'm listening!"_

Those blue eyes staring at him made Enoch's heart sink. He knew he was wrong. They, who became already older because she gave them an opportunity to get out from the loop for a short period of time, should help her with the little ones but he was too arrogant to admit it.

" _You have Emma, Olive and your beloved Jacob to do your job if you can't cope anymore. Leave me alone! If I could, I would leave this place the minute I had such a possibility!"_ He spitted venomously.

" _I see,"_ she sighed. _"I only hope you won't end up like Victor. For now you may go, today you'll remain without dinner. You may do whatever you want, Enoch, but I want to see you at the reset of the loop."_

He didn't say anything and the woman watched him going out and running upstairs. She heard him bang the door to his room, but she kept quiet even that deep inside her usually unreadable, stoic psychic state she was screaming and crying at the top of her lungs being terribly worried about her precious children. And with everything that has happened so far she was thinking of leaving their lofty perch and go somewhere but she had no clear idea where yet.

Enoch didn't appear at dinner time. Children were concerned but nobody had guts to ask where he was, because nobody was in his room either. However, the teenage boy came back right on time of the reset. Everybody was relieved that Enoch was with them again. Olive secretly took Enoch's hand in hers while they were watching the rain drops coming back up into the sky and planes flying in a reverse mode. The red-head smiled at him when she felt him squeezing her gloved hand gently. He smiled back.

When everyone was already in bed, the bed-time stories were told and half of the charges were peacefully sleeping in their comfortable nests, Miss Peregrine changed into her nightgown and was brushing her thick black hair looking at the mirror in her room. The knock on the door didn't surprise her, she just asked the intruder to wait to have some seconds and put on the dressing gown and told the child to come in.

" _What do you want me to do?"_ asked the older boy. Enoch was standing in the doorway totally lost. He was still wearing his daily clothes and the woman could see for sure that he was thinking during the whole time he spent wandering on the island.

" _It would be nice for you to come in and not wake up everyone in the house."_ She let him in and closed the door asking him to sit in an arm-chair while she leaned on the chest of drawers and folded up her arms in front of her slim form.

" _I didn't want either of the twins to get hurt,"_ it was his way of apologizing which Miss P. already knew.

" _I know, it was just your irresponsibility that led to these circumstances,"_ the woman pronounced. _"Are you willing to help, Enoch, or I should rely on more responsible children."_ Alma sounded cold but it was her way to talk to a disobedient child. Deep inside he knew that whatever happened she would always try to protect him.

" _There was nobody out there who could understand me or any of us. I'm sick and tired of living here but I'm not ready to join the army either or end up in some sort of an orphanage or a looney bin,"_ he stated.

" _That's very wise of you."_

" _So, what will be my real punishment?"_ he asked calmly accepting his fate.

" _Tomorrow you are going to entertain the youngsters all day long, of course, if Joseph and Thomas agree with it. They have been dreadfully scared today."_

" _May I do something else, please? Anything, I can tidy up the house or help you in the kitchen, I can clean the bathrooms,"_ he enumerated in hope that she'll be merciful.

" _No, Enoch. Helping with little ones will be your punishment,"_ she grinned at him, _"now go to the kitchen, there is some fish with vegetables left for you in the fridge."_

" _I thought you left me to starve,"_ he stood up not quite satisfied with Miss Peregrine's decision but relieved that she wasn't angry at him anymore.

" _I never leave my children to starve,"_ she smiled a warm smile and said him good night. Through all these years Alma was pretty sure to kiss Enoch good night was awfully inappropriate. Since the age of thirteen he hated when she kissed or hugged him especially when others were watching.

The minute she finally closed her eyes between two little forms of freakish boys on each of her side as the twins had horrible nightmares and squeaked for her motherly embrace, so, she had no other choice but to get them both in her room and put them comfortably in bed, the very minute the clock ticked twenty to two in the morning the door-bell rang. It was so unexpected that it startled the whole peculiardom. Twins immediately hugged her even tighter, that's why it took her some time to answer the door and on her way down she already met older children popping out of the rooms in nightgowns and dressing robes.

Miss Peregrine shot them a killing look but they were too curious and in some way frightened so nobody went back to sleep.

" _Aaron, how can I…"_ the woman didn't finish as the tall handsome man came into the house with a child in his arms that seemed to be unconscious. He was dirty and Alma noticed stains of dried blood on the ripped right sleeve of his coat.

" _Look, she needs help and I don't know where else I can leave her,"_ without invitation he strode to the living room and laid the child on the sofa.

" _Is anyone after you?"_ Alma came closer to the sofa to take a look at the child.

" _You mean are the wights after the hollow hunter? No, when they killed Catherine and after that Abe they should be afraid of us not we of them,"_ he said in a low voice trying to be polite and not to wake up everyone in the house. The man wasn't aware that nobody has been sleeping at this time. _"They are after her and if the third ymbryne shows me the door, I will start destroying your filthy loops one after another."_ The tall man sounded visibly annoyed.

" _Don't be melodramatic, Aaron,"_ she responded to the man. _"And you over there come downstairs, please. It's not polite to eavesdrop!"_ Alma raised her voice for the children to hear her.

Children filled the room. Here came everyone except Bronwyn, Fiona, Hugh and little Clair. They were fast asleep upstairs and no bell or even a gong could have woken them up. When all of them entered the room the girl on the sofa jerked in her sleep and sat up. Miss Peregrine nearly jumped the minute this child opened her eyes. They didn't have irises or pupils or even eyeballs. Both eyes were purely black, so it seemed as an abyss was looking back into the ymbrine. The shock of everybody in the room would be incomplete if they haven't seen rows of sharp-needle teeth that clenched together into a perfect zigzag zipper. The girl was extremely skinny. She could have replaced any skeleton at a biology class because all her joints and bones were covered with a very thin layer of flesh. On the whole if not for her teeth, eyes and extreme anorexia she looked pretty with long raven wavy hair and creamy rosy cheeks which now were too pale and nearly bluish because of starvation as Miss Peregrine thought to herself.

" _Who are you? Where is uncle Aaron?"_ she asked weakly frightened to see a strange woman and two short dwarfs with sacks on their heads. Her voice resembled the sweetest murmur of a stream in a sunny day.

" _I'm here,"_ sounded the soft male voice from the side, _"you're safe. There is nothing to worry about. They are friends."_

The girl relaxed a bit when he sat on the side of the sofa near her.

" _So, Mr. Drummond, everybody here would like to hear about Miss…"_ the ymbrine casted a meaningful glance at the man.

" _Miss Drummond, Satan Beast Drummond to be precise, the daughter of a well-known wight's hunter, Catherine Isabella Drummond and an infamous wight, Jack Caul Bentham,"_ he announced to the audience as if they were at a fair.

" _Who?"_ It was obvious that Miss Peregrine was struck by a lightening at hearing such news. She became paler than her white nightgown the hem of which could be spotted from under the dressing robe.

" _Satan, I' am honored to present your aunt, Alma LeFay Bentham, mostly known as Miss Peregrine,"_ declaimed Mr. Drummond.

" _No, please, uncle Aaron. Don't give me away to her. I won't be a burden. I'll do whatever you ask of me. I'll become invisible just don't give me to her,"_ girl's jaws trembled, she burst into tears begging the man not to leave her. She clasped her tiny membranous hands over his huge bicep trying to persuade him.

" _Shhh, nobody's going to torture you. Miss Peregrine is not like you father, not at all."_ The man pulled the child to his chest and stroked her head as gently as his hardened hands could do.

All children looked at two adults in silence too overwhelmed by the information Mr. Drummond threw at them. Alma was also at a loss for words and even blinked several times to convince herself that everything was real.

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _ **Dear, readers! Thank you so much for your comments. I'll try to update weekly. I'm looking forward to reading more reviews!**_


	3. Chapter 3

**The Thirteenth**

 **Chapter 3**

" _Darling, nobody's going to hurt you,"_ said Alma taking a step towards the girl but the child only clasped tighter the man's coat trying to hide away from the woman. _"Aaron, what is her real name?"_

" _It is her real name!"_ The man fished out some papers of the inside pocket and gave them to Miss Peregrine.

" _Satan Beast Drummond?!"_ The ymbryne exclaimed as if it was the most unexpected thing in her life and she had seen a lot that was for sure. _"What kind of institution could give a birth certificate and register such a name?! It's nonsense!"_

" _Nonsense was for my sister to be kidnapped by the wights. She had spent in captivity seven months. So, I don't blame her for the name."_ He concluded.

Of course at this revelation Enoch couldn't keep from smiling. The boy found this situation hilariously comic, the girl with the name Satan, who was blessed to carry it through her whole life thanks to her mother. That's why a loud clear smirk cut the deafening silence of the room. Within a second a lion's paw grabbed boy's collar and lifted him up a little to look thoroughly in teenager's eyes. Enoch swallowed hard because fair-haired and blue eyed man in no time turned into a 6 feet and 3 inches lion.

" _What so funny, lad?"_ the lion roared at him. Enoch felt his hair stood up like a mountain when that fluffy but sharp-clawed paw scratched his neck.

" _Aaron, Enoch didn't mean anything by that, did you, Enoch?"_ as swift as a lion Miss Peregrine was standing close to the man. Nobody understood how a gun appeared in her hand which she was pressing to lion's chest. The lion heard the click of the trigger.

All children pressed closely together to each other the older protecting the youngest. Enoch nodded because he had a cobweb in his throat. It was the first time in all these years when somebody dared to threaten him and not just threaten but maybe to kill him by ripping away the artery with that enormous claw.

" _Put him down or I'll shoot!"_ Miss Peregrine hissed. The kids had never seen her like this before. Their headmistress seemed to be a snake ready to bite no matter how scary the creature in front of her was.

" _Oh, I didn't realize that Kate showed you this trick,"_ the lion answered Miss Peregrine and let Enoch free, _"your only mistake, my dear Alma, is the weapons from the 21_ _st_ _century don't work in the 20_ _th_ _. But you know this, of course, don't you?"_ Aaron now in a shape of a man very gently took the gun from woman's hand, put it up towards the ceiling and pulled the trigger several times which frightened very much the twins who hugged each other for dear life. Nonetheless, the gun didn't work. It was no more than a children's toy because new equipment that appeared later than 1943 didn't work in the loop.

" _Don't you ever dare touch any of my children!"_ She pointed her acute finger at the man.

" _So, will you take her or not?"_ said Aaron turning back to their previous discussion as nothing had happened.

" _I already have twelve children. I don't even have a place for her,"_ Alma hesitated, " _but if the majority decides that Miss Drummond should stay, I will welcome her warmly."_

The girl, who was scared to death, when she saw her only remaining relative at a gun point, was crying silently. Satan sat on the sofa with the legs close to her skeleton body, her arms embraced those ugly bony knees and she trembled uncontrollably.

" _What's your peculiarity, child?"_ Alma turned to the kid.

" _The most amazing thing for poor Kate was to discover her child's peculiarity,"_ spoke the man sitting back on the sofa near the trembling girl, _"Satan has the most non-devilish ability, she can cure other people."_ The man hugged the child and kissed her in the forehead. _"Shhh, don't cry."_

" _Children, would you like Miss Drummond to live with us?"_ asked the woman, _"Those, who agree, please raise up your hands."_

Emma, Jacob and Olive were the first to agree followed by Millard and both twins. Horace and Enoch voted against.

" _Welcome to our home for peculiar children, Miss Drummond!"_ The woman's face expanded in a smile.

" _Why?! Only six of us are for, others could be against, don't you think?! Maybe we'll wake up the others and ask if they want this…"_ Enoch stammered over the word, _"this girl to stay here!"_

" _I hope my decision also counts in this house,"_ Miss Peregrine gave her change a sharp look.

" _Oh, yes! Why not? She's your niece at last! Why did you ask us at all? You already knew what you'd do!"_ Enoch stormed upstairs not giving Miss Peregrine a chance to explain.

" _Is he always like that?"_ asked the man still trying to calm down the trembling little girl.

" _Sometimes even worse but I can deal with it,"_ said Alma staring at the man. _"Olive, please, boil some tea. Emma, can you take the twins to their beds? They are ready to drop down because of exhaustion. Horace, I think you should go to sleep too. Jake, please, bring some bed linen and a blanket from the tallboy and also a sleeping bag from the closet."_ The woman gave orders as a real captain of the ship and her obedient sailors followed those orders without a question.

When Miss Peregrine treated her guests with some sandwiches and hot black tea with lemon and sugar, made them "beds", this meant that the child was tucked under the blanket on the sofa in the living room and Mr. Dummond had to use a sleeping bag for the night because there was no other place in the house. When all the kids went back to sleep Aaron Leon Drummond and Alma LeFay Peregrine came into the kitchen to have a talk.

" _I'm really sorry to hear about Catherine. But still, I don't understand why you two hadn't been telling me the truth for all these years,"_ Alma sounded upset and wounded at the same time.

Catherine and Aaron Drummond were immortals. They were from the Scottish clan of highlanders and lived for centuries without aging too much. They both looked as if they were in their thirties, which was totally wrong. When Aaron found Alma in the form of a peregrine falcon, who was nearly torn to pieces on the cliffs in Wester Ross, he already was 2 centuries old but Catherine was only 50 at that time. She was his little sister and the dearest for him as his parents died of decapitation – the only way to kill an immortal. Both brother and sister had certain peculiarities. Aaron turned into a lion and had a wonderful night vision. Catherine was a cheetah which helped her to see hollows at night too. Alma still remembered how gentle they treated her in the shape of the bird until she could turn into a young 12 year old girl who was beaten by her elder brother. They took her to the academy for ymbrynes. Cats, which helped birds, that was worth seeing!

" _I think you were aware of your brother's deeds and you knew what he was capable of as you were his first victim I suppose, when Catherine found you nearly pecked to death. That time Caul was only a teen. Becoming a wight made him powerful and even more insane. As you know wights can't have children. Nevertheless, what a pleasure it was for them to capture a huntress. Only an extremely mad imagination could invent the tortures my sister had gone through. Rape was just an entertainment for your precious brother."_ Aaron flexed his jaw muscles remembering Kate after he finally found her.

" _Listen, I'm not proud that he is my brother but I can't do anything about it."_ The woman retorted.

" _I don't accuse you of anything, Alma. If I did, I wouldn't have brought Satan here. Though, it was the last place where I wanted to bring her. It's not because of you but because of her."_

" _What do you mean?"_ She didn't get what he wanted to tell her. Girl's appearance wasn't unusual as well as the appearance of twins or Claire's second mouth. Maybe at first it would be a problem until little ones get used to her, but after some time they all would accept her. At least, Alma hoped for that.

" _This girl is the devil incarnate. Catherine didn't give her this name just for fun. I don't deny that she hated her own child, though. However, this is the reality,"_ He stated firmly.

" _How can a girl with the ability to heal be harmful?"_ Miss Peregrine still didn't want to believe, that this innocent child was guilty for being evil only because of her father's malice.

" _Satan is not always like that. Every 13_ _th_ _day of every month she becomes a beast. Sometimes her appearance changes, sometimes her abilities change or altogether. She understands it but she can't control this. It's like an evil spirit coming back inside her and tearing her apart. The girl becomes violent and unpredictable. That's why, I need to know if this house has a vault or maybe you have a strong cell where you could lock her while she's in that insane state."_ He explained.

" _You want me to keep a child in a vault?"_ the ymbryne asked in utter disbelief.

" _If you don't have the possibility to do that, then we'll leave tomorrow. I don't want to come back and see a massacre here. When Satan is not herself, only thick walls can protect you and your precious charges."_ He warned her.

" _I though you said that this child was always aware of her deeds. How come she can't control it?"_

" _Have you ever seen possessed people? Those, who act like insane. They can hurt somebody or even kill. Day by day they look like normal but then something happens and this ordinary person attacks you or starts howling like a wolf or behaving like an animal. Have you seen this?"_

" _Once. in a church, a young man in the 17_ _th_ _century. The priest was conducting an act of exorcism on this poor guy. He died in tortures,"_ A memory appeared bright in her mind as if she saw it today.

" _Satan also suffers a lot but can't do anything about it. The stains of blood that you noticed on my coat were because of this little charming girl. When she was in one of her states, she bit a piece of my arm till the bone and spit it out,"_ said the man.

" _But your arm seems pretty healthy,"_ she touched Aaron's arm to make sure that she sees well. _"There is not even a scratch on it."_ Alma put up the sleeve of his shirt to check her supposition.

" _When Satan was back to normal, she healed it as if nothing had happened. Then, she was crying all day long because when she heals, which she also does unconsciously, she sees and feels how the person received the wound or the disease."_

" _You mean this little girl feels the pain of the sufferer every time she cures the person?"_

" _Exactly,"_ the man nodded. _"That's why don't touch her, at least while she's so weak. I was sure she'd die but this little creature seems to be a hard nut to crack or maybe because some immortal genes are still in her blood."_

" _Why is Miss Drummond in such a bad state? What did my brother do to her?"_ Alma didn't want to pronounce that stupid name which couldn't suit any child. So, she decided to call the girl by the surname.

" _He made Satan heal ten hollows in these three months while she was with her 'beloved daddy'. The thing is she needs to recover every time she cures somebody. If not, she suffers a lot. She can lose consciousness or sleep like being in coma state for a week or even more, or vomit, or start to bleed because strange wounds appear on her whole body and they don't stop bleeding for hours until she drops down from the loss of blood."_

" _This is terrible!"_ the ymbryne exclaimed.

"On the one hand, this girl a devil and on the other, she's the most unfortunate child I've ever seen. When I took her from them, Satan asked me to kill her. So, now you decide what to do, Alma. I am a hunter not much of a nanny. Catherine was also too far from being a good mother but I would like to save the only one niece that I've got. Will you help me?" Aaron looked at the ymbryne who was silent for a while.

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _ **My dear readers,**_

 _ **I'm so glad that this story attracted your attention. I would be really nice if you give me any hint of the name for the OC as for sure our ymbryne wouldn't appreciate to call her new change SATAN.**_


	4. Chapter 4

**The Thirteenth**

 **Part 4**

" _Fine, if you don't mind, let's call it a day. It's already 4 a.m. and I should stand up at half past six. I'll take her as my children are not against a new member in our 'small'",_ she rolled her eyes, _"house for peculiar children."_

" _Thank you, Alma. I'll try to do my best to protect your loop, because Caul wants to do another experiment now using also his own daughter's peculiarity. So, it is a matter of time when they finally find her. I hope you understand that,"_ He asked looking sternly in her beautiful blue eyes.

" _I'm not as stupid as you might think. I know what risk I put my children at,"_ she said in a low voice.

" _I never thought of you of being stupid, maybe too kindhearted but not stupid at all,"_ Aaron winked at her, told her 'good night' and went to the living room where Satan was sound asleep. He got into the sleeping bag and closed his eyes.

The whole house woke up at 6:12 a.m. because of a loud shrieking scream coming from the lady's bathroom. Fiona in her nightgown was standing near the sink and looking into the mirror when suddenly the door of the toilet opened and a strange skeleton with rough raven hair, black holes instead of eyes, in weirdly loose pajamas with dinosaur print appeared in the glass. Aaron immediately jumped out of the sleeping bag and was the first to storm into the bathroom which made Fiona scream even louder.

" _Please, stop screaming. She won't hurt you,"_ Aaron tried to bring the reason but the fair-haired girl didn't calm down.

" _Fiona, it's alright,"_ Miss Peregrine in her dressing gown approached the ten year old child who wrapped her arms around the ymbryne's waist and started sobbing. _"Mr. Drummond, what on earth are you doing in girl's bathroom I would like to know!"_ Alma fumed.

" _Sorry, I just wanted to see if Satan's OK,"_ he murmured quickly and disappeared in the hall.

" _I'm sorry that I frightened you,"_ said Miss Drummond softly and staggered shakily to the sink.

Every movement and step the newcomer did so carefully as if she wanted to preserve every bit of energy that remained in her body. The girl opened the tap and started to wash her face. When she took the towel to dry her face two little feet ran into the bathroom. The youngest charge with plush toy in her arms wanted to check what all that noise was about. Satan with corner of her eye saw the small girl and froze with the towel pressed to her face.

" _Good morning!"_ Claire greeted everyone. _"What happened? Is someone hurt?"_ She asked with seriousness and concern in her childish voice.

" _Good morning, sunshine!"_ Miss Peregrine greeted the little one. " _No, nobody's hurt. Fiona was surprised to see our new guest."_

" _Oh, wonderful! We have new guests!"_ Claire started jumping with excitement. _"It's you, isn't it?"_ The little one approached Satan and pulled her pajamas pants. Thank God that the girl tied a special rope of the pants tightly or Claire would have pulled them off.

" _Yes, it's me,"_ came the voice from behind the towel but the raven haired girl didn't want to cause another hysterical reaction.

" _Claire, promise me that you won't scream when Miss Drummond takes away the towel from her face,"_ spoke Miss Peregrine letting Fiona go and paying her attention to this small intruder.

" _Why? Does she have an ugly scar?"_

" _No, but you'll see. Promise not to scream. It would be very impolite,"_ Miss Peregrine wanted to give a solid reason for the girl.

" _I promise,"_ said Claire taking a step closer to the ymbryne searching for protection.

" _Fine, Miss Drummond. You can put down the towel,"_ she told Satan.

" _Are you sure it's a good idea? Maybe it would be better if I put on my sun-glasses. They are cracked a little but at least nobody would be scared to death,"_ asked Satan still hesitating to take away the cover from her face.

" _I'm pretty sure that my children can handle any peculiarity,"_ Alma reassured her.

" _As you wish."_

Satan uncovered her face.

" _Wow! I can see my reflection in your eyes!"_ exclaimed Claire not afraid at all. _"My name is Claire and this is Mr. Rabbit."_ She introduced herself and her toy to the new child.

" _My name's Satan. It's nice to meet you Claire and Mr. Rabbit,"_ the girl spoke showing two rows of needle like teeth.

" _It's nice to meet you too, Satan. You have a very funny name, I never heard it before,"_ the girl giggled.

Satan chuckled and completely forgot that she should keep the membranes on her eyes. Claire immediately saw the change.

" _What happened to your eyes? I don't see myself in them anymore,"_ the little girl sounded a bit offended.

" _Oh, sorry. Is it better now?"_

For the person who was not used to peculiarities the trick that Satan did could have been really huge and the most probable consequence for him or her was to appear in the closest asylum but Alma didn't even wink. She just observed how two thin layers of membranes came up from inside of Satan's eyes and covered the two abysses with a perfect black mirror where the ymbryne saw the reflection of the whole room.

" _Yes, now it's better!"_ Claire agreed.

" _Is this like a second lid?"_ Miss Peregrine couldn't help but ask.

" _Kind of, it protects eyes underwater. I'm like an amphibian, you know,"_ Satan explained with a sigh.

" _And gills?"_ Now Alma was curious.

The child nodded and turned aside a stand-up collar of her pajamas. Right above the clavicle the woman saw two very straight cuts under which were hidden gills.

" _A fin springs up from the backbone,"_ Satan explained.

" _Thank you for sharing, Miss Drummond. We live near the sea, so, you'll have the opportunity to swim. Only when you feel better,"_ she said noticing how the child grabbed the edge of the sink to stabilize her shaky legs.

" _I won't stay here,"_ the girl said firmly.

" _No, you can't leave us!"_ Claire pouted not wanting a new guest to go away.

" _At least, until you come back to normal. I'd rather you go back to bed, Miss Drummond."_ Miss Peregrine emphasized.

Satan didn't answer. She turned to the mirror, took a toothbrush which she brought with her, put some toothpowder on it and began brushing her perfectly shaped teeth which resembled maybe teeth in a whale's mouth.

" _Fiona, can you help Claire brush her teeth. I go change and start preparing breakfast,"_ said Miss Peregrine to the girl who looked calm and quiet as usual.

" _I can brush them myself!"_ Claire disagreed.

" _And the back mouth too?"_ asked Alma surprised.

Claire pouted and folded her arms pressing Mr. Rabbit to her chest.

" _Good morning, Emma. Please, make sure Miss Drummond is in her bed. I need to make breakfast,"_ they heard ymryne's voice coming from the hall.

" _Sure, Miss Peregrine,"_ was the answer.

Fiona and Satan were silent. Satan finished brushing her teeth, took her towel and carefully went out of the room leaving Fiona to help little Claire. The raven haired girl felt awfully exhausted. That's why, she let Emma support her all the way round to bed. When she lay down, Satan turned to the back of the sofa and silent tears ran down her sunken cheeks again.

" _I think she's upset about something,"_ Emma supposed coming back to the kitchen, _"Can I help you with anything?"_

" _In your nightgown, Miss Bloom? It would be better if you dress properly and send Fiona here. I would like to talk to her. If you see Hugh or Bronwyn, send them to me too. I don't want Miss Drummond to be attacked by bees or strangled by our pretty Hercules,"_ the woman commented mixing eggs for the omelette.

" _Of course, Miss P."_

" _And have you seen Mr. Drummond?"_

" _He's upstairs talking to Jake. I think it's about Abe,"_ said Emma.

" _OK, thank you, Emma. You may go."_

Enoch jumped up in his bed when somebody knocked on the bed-side table.

" _Hey, boy! You're too nervous for a lad of your age. Take it easy,"_ came the male voice from above.

" _What are you doing in my room?"_ grumbled Enoch irritated by this impudent guest.

" _I have to talk to you because it seems to me you are the only one who has guts to speak against some decisions of your precious ymbryne,"_ said Mr. Drummond sitting on the chair. _"How do you sleep in here? This room can cause nightmares for a long period of time,"_ he stated looking around the room full with shelves where jars with different types of hearts, bones, animal skeletons where displayed.

" _Has anybody told you that it is impolite to burst into somebody's room without permission?"_ asked Enoch very annoyed that he was woken up at this hour.

" _Listen, boy. You can talk about manners with Miss Peregrine but not with me. You may stick all that mannerism where the sun doesn't shine. I want you to keep an eye on Satan, especially, when you see that her mood is changing. Mostly she is a sweet, shy girl but three days before the 13_ _th_ _day of each month she can become uncontrollable. When this happens I want you to close her in the vault and don't let anyone to open the door whatever she says or whatever she does, especially, Miss Peregrine, if you want her and others to survive, of course. I know that's a huge responsibility for a 16 year-old teen but promise me that you'll protect others from Satan."_

Enoch was overwhelmed by the information.

" _Did you tell this Miss P.?"_ He asked still digesting everything the man has just told.

" _Yes, of course. She means a lot for me to put her at risk. So, do you promise that you protect her and the others from that 'charming girl' downstairs?"_

" _If you know that she's dangerous, why did you bring her here?"_

" _She is the only family I have. If she dies, I have no reason left to tread this filthy planet,"_ Aaron explained.

" _What about Miss P.? You said she meant something."_

" _I'm immortal, boy. She is not. Living in the loop is not for me. Besides, I am sick and tired to loose people whom I like,"_ the man confessed.

" _I see. I try to help. I can do an army of puppets, you know, to stop whatever creature your niece turns into,"_ the boy replied.

" _That'd be great. Just don't harm her too much. This child suffered a lot."_

Aaron shook Enoch's hand firmly.

" _Are you going to stare at me like that for the whole day?"_ Satan asked peering with her hollow eyes at the person standing in the room.

Firstly the boy looked about the room to check that maybe somebody else has just come in and then spoke: _"Are you talking to me?"_

" _Do you see anybody else here, nude boy?"_ Satan frowned at irrelevant question.

" _Do you see me?"_ asked Millard in a shock putting his hands over the crotch.

" _Yes, every single detail. Why? Do you believe that you're invisible or something?"_ the girl retorted really pissed off by this strange naked boy.

" _My goodness!"_ said Millard blushing to the tip of his hair, if anybody could see it and ran out of the room like a bullet from the gun.

" _Gosh, Millard! When do you finally learn to stop running about the house in your birthday suit!"_ Olive reprimanded the boy as he pushed her in the corridor trying to get to his room as soon as possible.

" _Morning, Olive. Why did everybody wake up so early today? And what's wrong with Millard? I've never seen him putting on his clothes in such a hurry,"_ asked Hugh going out of the room he shared with the invisible boy.

" _Don't know, maybe he wanted to be polite at least once. We have guests."_ The red-head told him going downstairs.

" _Guests?"_ the boy echoed.

" _Oh, Hugh. You're awake. Go to Miss Peregrine,"_ said Jake with a pile of plates that he had to put on the table.

Another crazy day at the house of peculiar children began…

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _ **Thank you so much for your proposal of names for the new character. Still, you can tell more of them because I haven't managed to introduce any of them, at least, in this chapter.**_


	5. Chapter 5

**The Thirteenth**

 **Part 5**

When Mr. Drummond entered the living room Satan was desperately fighting with her socks that seemed to be enormously difficult to put on her feet. Every movement the girl did was so slow and weak that a passive onlooker could have presumed that this child is going to collapse to the floor and lose consciousness.

" _What do you think you're doing?"_ the man came to Satan and helped her with the disobedient sock.

" _I won't stay in this looney bin! I'm outta here the sooner the better!"_ she frowned but because of her anorexic state it looked more like a sad face not a frown.

" _You are not going to go anywhere. Especially, when you are weak as a snail! Besides, it's not a looney bin!"_ Aaron opposed his little niece in making decisions.

" _Yes, two dwarfs wearing balaclavas on their heads, a girl with the mouth on the back of her head. This strange unblinking woman, whom you are calling my aunt. I spent 2 year in the asylum, where they wanted to make me normal and made experiments on me as if I were a guinea pig, thanks to mom, of course. I won't wait until this lady starts plugging me to some electric equipment or doing injections!"_ The girl wanted her ranting to be angry but with her charming voice and no strength at all to speak this resembled a murmur of a stream.

" _Sat, nobody's going to hurt you here. I told you, this is a home for peculiar children just like you. The boys in balaclavas have a very dangerous ability to turn every living creature into a stone. It's not their fault that they were born that way and I didn't support your mother's decision to put you into asylum. But the times were hard. She wanted to protect you. That's why she hid you away in that looney bin as you say,"_ the man tried to explain.

" _If it's not an asylum then what peculiarities does the naked boy have?"_ The girl retorted.

" _The naked boy?"_ Aaron echoed. _"I didn't see anyone naked coming out of your room or in the corridor."_

" _Are you kidding? The boy of about my age completely naked came out of this room like maybe 3 minutes ago!"_ Satan stood up from the sofa too fast for her state and would definitely fall down on the floor if Aaron didn't hold her.

" _Oh, probably you saw Millard,"_ he said surprised that his niece could see the boy. He helped her to sit back on the sofa again. _"It's really amazing that you saw him."_

" _Why's that?"_

" _Because he's invisible,"_ the man exclaimed.

" _Invisible?"_ The child couldn't believe her ears.

" _Yes, transparent like glass."_

" _Maybe you're right. I saw him but not like I see you or the others. It was like looking through the glass but you know I can barely understand which objects there are behind the glass. That's why I have those stupid sun-glasses."_

" _I know, my little orca cub,"_ he kissed her on the temple.

" _Still, it is impolite to sneak into somebody's room even if no one sees you,"_ Satan concluded.

" _Actually, it's the living room. So, it's like a public one, but I totally agree, that it's impolite to appear before a girl completely naked."_

Somebody knocked at the door and Mr. Drummond told them to come in.

" _Today you've seen approximately all the kids except these two,"_ said Miss Peregrine coming in with Bronwyn and Hugh following her. _"This is Miss Bronwyn Bruntley and Mr. Hugh Apiston,"_ she presented her charges to the girl. _"A swarm of bees lives inside Hugh and Bronwyn is our small Hercules."_

" _I'm Satan Drummond, nice to meet you,"_ replied the girl to the two children standing in front of the sofa.

" _Nice to meet you too,"_ Hugh and Bronwyn said in unison a little bit confused by girl's appearance. Nevertheless, they promised Miss Peregrine to be polite.

As neither of them wanted to continue the conversation, Miss Peregrine announced that breakfast would be ready in fifteen minutes and invited everybody to join it.

" _It would be better for Satan to have breakfast here. I'm not sure that she's able to walk to the kitchen and back. I wouldn't like her to faint on her way to the kitchen,"_ the man apologized for the girl knowing too well that the child wouldn't prefer 24 pairs of eyes peering at her.

" _Of course, Mr. Drummond. She can eat here. I think someone of my charges would be glad to keep Miss Drummond a company,"_ Alma replied giving the man any chance not to share breakfast with other kids because they already prepared so many questions and were eager to ask him but weren't so enthusiastic about the new girl.

When everybody left a shy "thank you" sounded in the room because Satan wasn't very excited to be present at that breakfast either.

" _Has anybody seen Millard?"_ asked the ymbryne looking at her charges who were already sitting at their places only Olive was missing as she went to keep the newcomer a company.

" _Probably he just didn't put his clothes on and wants to play a trick, aren't you Millard?"_ said Enoch aloud thinking that a ten year old could hear him.

" _Actually, I've seen him running outside as if a swarm of bees was after him and he was fully dressed which is unusual for Millard, of course,"_ said Horace emphasizing the word 'unusual'.

" _Oh, I recon I know what's wrong,"_ Aaron chuckled, _"Satan saw him today in all his nude glory."_

" _That can't be true! You're lying, even Miss Peregrine can't see him!"_ said Claire disappointed that this man could lie to children.

" _If I didn't see him, it doesn't mean I can't feel if he's in the room or not,"_ Miss Peregrine huffed. This was true. Alma always new by some sixth sense if her little boy was in the room or not.

" _You see, princess, Satan's eyes are not like mine or anybody's in the room. She has a bee-like eyesight. It means…"_ but he was interrupted by Hugh.

" _That she sees more colors than we do! She can see in ultraviolet light and her color vision is much faster. That's amazing!"_ It seemed that Hugh was overwhelmed by the information.

" _Yes, that's true,"_ agreed the man.

" _Finally, at least somebody will always see him when he's going out naked,"_ said Enoch pleased with the idea that the invisible boy won't play any more tricks on him or others.

" _Does anybody know where Millard likes to hide?"_ Aaron asked understanding that Alma will go crazy if the boy misses his breakfast.

" _The big oak tree on the glade in the end of the garden,"_ said Fiona.

" _OK, I'll go talk to him,"_ Mr. Drummond put the napkin back on the table and stood up from his chair.

He found the boy sitting on a huge branch of the oak tree right in the middle of it. Aaron couldn't say how the boy felt as he saw only an empty suit sitting on the tree. The man whistled to draw Millard's attention and not to startle the ten year old when he in his lion-shape jumped and sat on the same branch next to Millard. It was really interesting to see a lion in jeans and checked shirt climbing up an oak tree.

" _Hello, Millard. I'm glad that you don't forget to do exercise in the morning,"_ pronounced Aaron turning into his human self.

" _How did you find me?"_ asked the boy.

" _Your girlfriend told me where to find you,"_ the man winked at the boy.

" _I don't have any girlfriends!"_ the boy sounded to be a little bit offended by the comment.

" _OK, Fiona knows your little secret,"_ the man explained.

" _Why did you two come here? I mean, I'm grateful that you kill the hollows but why did you bring your niece here?"_ Millard was still overwhelmed by the discovery that Satan could see him.

" _Satan could be pretty scary sometimes but isn't it wonderful that at least one person in the whole world could see you?"_

" _Even I can't see myself. Why does she?"_ the boy couldn't believe that such thing could be possible.

" _She has peculiar eyesight."_

" _She can heal, she has a weird appearance and now another peculiarity. How can she have so many?"_ This was too much for one person. Millard with his passion to science wanted to know how all of this could be possible.

" _I'm afraid even greatest scholars can't answer this question. Still, I'm sure you'll have plenty of time to find out by yourself. Just don't try to perform any experiments on her. She went through plenty of them and the consequences would be drastic for you. If you treat her as a normal human being, maybe she'll become your friend."_

" _I didn't want to be impolite. I like to observe people when they think that nobody's watching them. At these moments they are different. She was crying when I came in. Then she suddenly stopped, I think she stopped because she saw me. She had been looking at me for nearly ten minutes until she spoke,"_ said Millard.

" _At least now you know how people feel when somebody is spying on them."_ Mr. Drummond smiled.

" _She saw me naked,"_ the child exclaimed dramatically.

" _There is nothing to worry about. Satan is a child of the 21_ _st_ _century. Believe me, it's rather hard to surprise her by anything. She was many times at naturist beach. So, there's nothing to worry about,"_ the man assured the ashamed boy.

" _What's a naturist beach?"_ Millard asked with curiosity.

" _Oh, it's a beach where everyone is naked. People come there with families and spend time like at ordinary beach but totally nude."_

If anyone could see Millard's face now, than they would say that the boy was shocked. But nobody could see the invisible boy, so Aaron didn't hear any reaction when he explained the fact.

" _So, are you going to hide here all day or you'll have breakfast with others?"_

" _The omelette and toasts smelled nice in the morning. I would like to have some,"_ replied the boy.

" _Fine, get on my back. It'll be faster to get down,"_ the man suggested turning back into the lion.

" _Good morning!"_ said Olive coming into the living room with a tray in her hands.

" _Morning,"_ echoed the skinny girl from the sofa.

" _No, no. Don't stand up. It's a table, so you can comfortably eat in bed I mean on the sofa,"_ explained the red head putting the table in front of the child.

" _Thank you,"_ replied Satan enjoying the smell of omelette with vegetables, fried toasts and hot tea.

Olive put the chair next to the sofa, took a big plate with food in one hand and fork in another and sat on the chair.

" _It's not necessary to stay with me. I'm able to eat on my own. I don't have a back mouth,"_ Satan tried to get rid of the older girl but without any success.

" _It's very boring to eat alone,"_ deflected Olive.

" _I got used to it,"_ answered the child taking a fork in her membrane-hand. The membranes covered her palm only to the metacarpals, so she could pick a fork and a knife.

" _Sometimes I dream to have the privilege to be alone, but Miss P. needs us. We have to help her with little ones or she'll probably go crazy,"_ Olive smiled.

" _How many little ones do you have?"_

" _Everyone, who is under 12 years old. This means everyone except me, Horace, Emma, Jacob and Enoch,"_ said Olive and put a piece of omelette in her mouth.

" _Does this mean that I should obey you?"_ Satan seemed disappointed a bit by the rules.

" _No, it means that Miss Peregrine would be terribly worried if you disobey her and I could have a severe reprimand because I wasn't responsible enough."_

" _So, if I don't eat this omelette, you'll be punished? It's not fair,"_ Satan disagreed with such strange rules.

" _No, it's not like that. If it was your fault, you would have a long talk with Miss P., but if it was my mistake, when she asked me to do something, I would have to face consequences,"_ said Olive.

" _What was the most terrible punishment?"_

" _Once, she refused to talk to Enoch for a week because he killed a sheep in order to take its heart and revive…"_ here Olive caught herself and instead of continuing the conversation she took a bite from her toast.

" _What?! It's the most stupid punishment ever!"_ Satan couldn't believe her ears as this was nothing similar to how her own mother punished her.

" _It was horrible! Poor Enoch! He looked like a ghost until he begged her forgiveness,"_ said Olive seriously.

Yes, this was precisely a looney bin. Now Satan hasn't got any doubt.

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _ **I'm very grateful to have reviews from you, my Dear Readers. One little hint for you, when you imagine Aaron's appearance, imagine Daniel Craig because I took James Bond as a prototype for Mr. Drummond. I hope to read some more reviews from you.**_


	6. Chapter 6

**The Thirteenth**

 **Part 6**

" _So, Windmill,"_ smirked Enoch, _"have you blushed when the girl saw you naked?"_

" _Enoch! This remark is completely out of place especially at the table!"_ Miss Peregrine huffed wanting to kill the boy just with her unblinking stare.

Some little children giggled, nevertheless, Millard sat at his place without any word.

" _Alma, may I take all the boys, except little ones with me today. A ferry comes at 9:30 a.m. I bought something for kids, some necessary things. Would you mind if they help me bring everything here?"_ asked Aaron putting some jam on his toast. _"I would also like to take Bronwyn with me."_

" _We've got everything what we need, I don't think we need anything else,"_ Alma strongly disagreed with the man.

" _It's mostly for Satan. If I leave my niece here, I want to be sure that she will be protected and live a sheltered life,"_ he emphasized. _"Who's with me?"_ Mr. Drummond asked and all children raised their hands except Horace who was against lifting heavy things and ruining his precious suit.

" _All the boys except Enoch and twins may go. Bronwyn, Emma, Olive and Fiona may also come with you if they want,"_ said the ymbryne.

" _That's not fair! I also want to go!"_ Claire pouted and folded her arms in front of her tiny chest.

" _Claire, loader's work is not for little girls. Besides, today you have a great opportunity to spend time with Enoch, who was eager to play with you today,"_ Miss P. emphasized the last phrase looking at the boy whose cheerful mood immediately turned into a gloomy one.

" _I don't want to play with Enoch,"_ whined Claire, _"I'd rather play with Satan. I would be a doctor and she would be my patient. I would cure her in no time!"_

" _I'm sorry, princess. Miss Drummond has to stay in bed, eat healthy and rest. She's too weak to play with you,"_ explained the ymbryne to her smallest charge.

" _Nonsense!"_ exclaimed Mr. Drummond. _"For this time while she was with me, I had to hide her and we travelled only at night. We stayed almost in the vaults, caves or some quite cheap motels, where I was certain that she would be safe. I think, she would enjoy a day in the garden, of course, lying somewhere on the cover on the grass, how about that?"_

" _Yes, yes! We will play outside!"_ Claire clapped her hands.

" _It would be better if you ask Miss Drummond first,"_ Miss Peregrine said sarcastically being quite sure that the girl wanted peace and quiet.

When breakfast was eaten Aaron went to the living room where Olive was vividly telling Satan a funny story of her peculiarity.

" _Orca, have you eaten everything?"_ the man looked at both girls' empty plates. _"Great, want some more?"_

" _No, thank you,"_ was the answer.

" _OK, then how about you spend such a beautiful sunny day outside with others?"_ He proposed but saw only a frown on girl's face.

" _No, please, let me stay here or better in a closet or a vault. Uncle Aaron, please,"_ begged the girl but with those hollow eyes and beautiful charming voice nobody could tell was she serious or not.

" _You spent more than three months in a vault. It's time for you to come to light. Let's go."_ Brusque he got the child in his arms and went outside where Miss Peregrine has already prepared everything for her charges to stay outside.

A thick cover was unrolled on the smooth grass under a huge tree for the children to be comfortable in the shadow. Jake, Enoch and Horace came with some folding chairs. Fiona, Bronwyn and twins brought the cushions and Olive brought the blanket for Satan if the girl gets cold. Emma and Miss Peregrine did something like a nest for the newcomer. Aaron gently put Satan between the cushions. Claire and twins immediately took off their shoes and jumped on the cover sitting comfortably around Satan. Horace sat on the chair and opened the book.

" _Comfy?"_ asked the man his niece.

" _Sort of! I still prefer to stay inside,"_ Satan grumbled.

" _I totally agree with you, my dear,"_ Alma said, _"But unfortunately, your uncle doesn't listen to anybody except his enormous ego!"_

" _What's an ego?"_ Satan asked because she didn't understand the word.

" _It's a person's sense of self-importance,"_ the woman defined the word without a blink.

" _Uncle Aaron, she called you self-centered,"_ Satan grinned.

" _Whatever. I'm a guest here, but you should listen to Miss Peregrine and do what she says. In no time you'll be as smart as she is!"_ He winked at the girl. _"Because what we say?"_

" _Words don't hurt!"_ they exclaimed in unison.

" _That's my girl!"_ He bent and ruffled girl's hair a little. _"Fine, those who are coming with me, please, follow me. Enoch, you too. I need male's power today. Kids and birds can play safely at home."_

Mr. Drummond turned to go but at this very moment the ymbryne spoke.

" _Children, I changed up my mind, I can't allow you to go with Mr. Drummond, especially not to unload whatever cargo he might have ordered. Those who disobey should know that I would be extremely disappointed with you."_

Everyone froze at place. They adored their beloved bird and nobody would like to disappoint her, except a nine year old girl, who very carefully stood up from her improvised cushion nest and made a step to her uncle.

" _Satan, no! Please, stay where you are,"_ said Aaron.

The girl was stubborn as her mother. She was weak but nothing could stop her from determination to leave this asylum. Unfortunately, she made two steps and swayed. Miss Perergine, who was closer to the child, caught her in an instant. Satan instinctively put her membrane hands on top of Alma's fingers to balance her shaky legs. At this very moment she hissed in pain.

" _Alma, don't touch her skin!"_

Mr. Drummond in one big stride approached them and embraced the girl making the ymbryne to let her go.

" _Please, don't give me away to him. Please, I don't wanna go back, please…"_ Satan begged in some kind of reverie and tears ran down her skinny cheeks.

" _It's OK, orca. You're safe,"_ the man tried to comfort the child.

Miss Peregrine also stood in some kind of stupor. She touched child's skin only for a second but the feeling she couldn't forget. It was warm and calm, and pure joy ran up through her whole body. Still it was just a second.

" _What's wrong?"_ the woman asked wanting to provide some help if it was possible.

" _Whenever she touches somebody who has pain or illness, she starts curing it. It's uncontrollable. The thing is, Satan also sees how the person got the disease, where or when he or she was hurt."_ Aaron explained slowly unwrapping Satan's arms around his waist and making her lay down.

" _But I'm immune to peculiarities of others,"_ Alma wanted to forget whatever feeling she had a minute ago.

" _Don't tell me that you didn't feel anything, because Satan certainly felt your pain, the limp to be precise. That's how she saw Caul's face again. Isn't it, Satan,"_ he addressed the girl.

The child nodded wiping tears with her sleeve. Miss Peregrine gave her a handkerchief trying to avoid touching the girl.

" _I'm sorry, sweetheart,"_ Alma said, _"still this is quite impossible."_

" _I think it's because Satan is your relative, maybe that's why her peculiarity influences you, Alma."_ The man expressed his idea.

The woman didn't pay attention to his words because she saw that the child was shivering. Without any hesitation she took the blanket and wrapped it around the shaking girl avoiding to touch Satan's bare skin.

" _If it is too cold for you, Miss Drummond, I'll take you inside."_ Then the ymbryne turned to other children who were looking at her sullenly because of her latest order. _"Fine, children. The little ones stay with me including Miss Drummond, of course. Others may go and help Mr. Drummond."_ Finally Miss Peregrine relented and saw smiles on her charges' faces.

" _I'm on duty today,"_ came the voice from behind the ymbryne's back, _"so, I'll do the washing up,"_ the red-head spoke.

" _I also stay and help,"_ suggested Emma.

Horace hasn't even moved a bit on his chair. Others followed Mr. Drummond.

" _Miss Bloom, please keep an eye on little ones. I and Miss Elephanta will wash the dishes. Claire and others, please, show some respect to Miss Drummond. She needs plenty of rest but not to answer loads of questions. I hope you'll be kind enough to understand that."_ Miss Peregrine looked at her children and went back into the house.

" _Does it hurt so much?"_ The question escapes little mouth the minute the ymbryne disappeared in the house.

" _Leave me alone!"_ whispered Satan and covered her face with the blanket as she couldn't turn away from the kids because they were sitting around her.

" _It's not very polite!"_ exclaimed Claire. Her very being was revolted.

" _Claire, why don't we have your favorite tea party?"_ Emma proposed trying to calm the small child down.

" _I don't want to have a tea party. I want to play doctor with Satan!"_ said Claire disappointed.

" _You can play with me,"_ said Emma not very satisfied with the idea.

" _You are not ill! Besides, you can't even lie down. I don't have stripes to tie you to the ground!"_

The twins agreed with Claire in their own language.

" _I can sit in that arm- chair."_ Emma pointed out to the arm-chair which had a belt tied to its arms.

" _An ill person should lie down not sit in an arm-chair!"_ The little blonde girl didn't want to subside.

" _Ok, Doctor, I'll play with you if you stop squealing."_ Satan popped her head out from under the blanket.

" _Yes, yes, yes!"_ Claire clapped her hands again.

Very skillfully she took an improvised aid-kit, which she probably made by herself as it was a tin box for cookies filled with sticks different in length, an old stethoscope, some empty bottles of medicine, small pebbles and shells, some stripes of printed linen and many other interesting things.

" _Wow! That's huge! Don't you have a plastic set for doctors?"_ asked Satan quite taken aback by the view of the toys.

" _It's September the 3_ _rd,_ _1943\. We don't have as much plastic as you do in the future,"_ told Horace from his chair. _"Our toys are mostly made of wood, rubber, plush, porcelain or metal."_

" _Oh, where is her wooden aid-kit then?"_ The girl still couldn't understand why Claire didn't have a proper set.

" _Because on our island there is no toy shop and Miss Peregrine can't leave us for long to buy everything we want. Besides, we are in the middle of the Second World War here."_ The boy explained as a matter of fact.

" _A war?"_ echoed Satan.

" _Yes, every evening a plane comes and drops a bomb on our home!"_ said Claire with excitement.

" _A bomb? You sound even crazier than those animals who could speak,"_ said Satan trying to absorb the information the looney-bin kids were sharing.

" _You've been in a loop with talking animals?"_ asked one of the twins.

" _Yes, uncle Aaron wanted to leave me there at first,"_ replied Satan and met three pairs of eyes that stared right at her. _"What?"_

" _Do you understand the twins?"_ Emma seemed really astonished.

" _Of course, why? Is it a problem?"_

" _Nobody can understand them except Miss P."_ said Horace.

" _What do you want to say that I see the invisible things and understand inarticulate kids?"_ Satan pouted because they always accused her of something she wasn't even aware of.

" _Sounds amazing, don't you think?"_ asked Horace.

Satan just frowned but twins, on the other hand, were happy to know that now at least two people in their small world could talk to them.

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _ **I hope you're not tired of such a long description of one single day. Thank you for the reviews. They are very helpful. Happy 1**_ _ **st**_ _ **May day for everybody who works!**_


	7. Chapter 7

**The Thirteenth**

 **Part 7**

" _How did you feel that Miss P. is in pain?"_ asked Claire. The question got into her head and she didn't want to yield until she got the answer.

" _The same as I feel that Horace has an enormous headache,"_ said Satan as a matter of fact.

" _Horace always has headaches. It's his normal state,"_ disagreed the small girl.

" _I can cure it,"_ replied the dark haired child.

" _Really?"_ Horace didn't believe it, because his parents called the best doctors of his time to heal this stupid headache and nightmares but nothing helped. Miss Peregrine also tried but in vain. When the pain was too harsh to bear the ymbryne gave him some pills against a migraine, nonetheless, dull pain stayed with him all the time. He even got used to it.

" _My peculiarity is healing people. I can cure a variety of diseases and illnesses except mental ones. It's harder to do, because they are like peculiarities. If my uncle can become a lion, it's impossible to undo it."_

" _Can you try to ease this pain?"_ asked Horace suffering from the headache.

" _Sure, can you sit beside me?"_

" _I don't think it's a good idea, Satan,"_ said Emma reasonably.

" _Why? I want to help."_

" _You nearly lost consciousness several minutes ago and now you want to feel his pain?"_

" _I'm OK. I saw my father's face when I touched your principal. He didn't do any good for anyone. That's why, Uncle Aaron brought me here,"_ said Satan as if apologizing for being a burden.

Horace was already sitting on the cover near the girl. Satan sat up, put her slightly cool palm on his forehead and saw the horror of the nightmare that the boy dreamt of at night. On the other hand, Horace had never felt so relaxed and happy before. Warmth streamed from his head to each limb of his teenage body. Feeling of excitement, joy, peace and happiness hit the boy like a sea wave. It washed away the pain, brought all the beautiful memories he had ever had in his life. It was such a splendid experience that Horace wanted it to last forever. At the same time Satan became paler, bloody tears ran down her skeleton face. Claire and the twins were frightened by this strange show. The Twins immediately hugged each other to protect themselves from anything that might or might not happen and Claire started crying. Emma was the only one who had to be in control. When the blonde girl understood that Satan didn't hear her demand to stop whatever she was doing, Emma jumped into action. She took away Satan's hand from Horace's forehead which produced an instant effect. Horace came back to the real world from whatever wonderland he was in. Satan, unfortunately, lost consciousness and fell back onto the cushions.

" _Claire, don't cry. She'll be alright!"_ Emma took the small girl in her arms to hush her. _"Horace, call Miss P. at once!"_ the old girl snapped at the boy, who looked quite disappointed that the healing process came to an end.

When Horace ran into the kitchen the ymbryne rushed out to see what happened, Olive ran after her. Agitated and scared twins came to their principal the time she approached them. They hugged her with all their might from both sides, so it took a while to calm them down. Claire was sobbing in Emma's motherly arms. Only Horace seemed to be calm and enthusiastic to help with whatever was necessary.

" _Emma, see if her heart beats. You know if I touch her, it will be worse."_ Instead of doing something Miss Peregrine took Claire in her arms. _"Don't cry, everything will be fine."_ She kissed the smallest one in the forehead.

Emma touched the unconscious child and nodded. She could clearly feel girl's heart.

" _Ok. I don't think that Mr. Drummond went too far. Olive, please, go after him because the idea to show Miss Drummond to a doctor seems impossible. If Mr. Flanagan fainted the minute he saw Claire's back mouth, I can only imagine what might happen if he sees Miss Drummond's eyes or teeth,"_ said the bird in a very controlled voice for her charges not to feel how worried she was.

While Olive was away and the little ones calmed down, Miss Peregrine wrapped Satan into the blanket and carried the child to her room, where the girl could lay in a comfortable bed but not on the sofa in the living room where wasn't any privacy left. She made Emma stay with Miss Drummond in case the latter comes round and went to have a conversation with Horace, who looked too happy for any of her words to reach his excited and once clear mind. Olive came in 40 minutes.

" _Where's Mr. Drummond?"_ asked the ymbryne worried even more for other of her children because the first though was that Miss Elephanta didn't find them.

" _He said that Satan will come to her senses in few hours. He said it's a common process, she needs some time to regenerate energy after she cured somebody,"_ explained the girl out of breath from running to and back.

" _Well then, you and Horace keep an eye on the little ones. I wash the rest of the dishes."_

The bird was a little bit astonished when a car and a vehicle drove into the back yard after one hour and a half. Some children were sitting in the car at the steering wheel of which was Mr. Drummond. The older children were in the truck body.

" _Miss P., we've got a dishwasher and new swings!"_ exclaimed Bronwyn getting out of the car.

" _We've also got loads of books and gram records!"_ said the invisible boy hopping down from the truck.

" _And a new super boat for everyone which is at a pier!"_ said Hugh.

" _This car is also ours!"_ told Enoch.

" _What about these water-pipes, boards, nails and other things?"_ the ymbryne raised one eyebrow, _"our water-pipe system is quite good. We don't need a new one as well as a new sink and even a shower."_

" _It's for Satan. Mr. Drummond is going to do another room in the vault,"_ explained Jacob.

" _We are going to help!"_ said Bronwyn excited by the thought of doing something new instead of their ordinary boring routine.

" _Mr. Drummond, may I talk to you,"_ asked Miss Peregrine obviously in a very bad mood.

" _Sure."_ The man smiled and followed Alma into the house leaving the kids to unload the cargo.

" _Aaron, this is beyond the limit! We don't need anything and I accept new charges without bribes or fees! So, you may take everything wherever you've got it!"_ the ymbryne huffed looking daggers at the fair-haired, handsome man.

" _It's not a bribe or any kind of payment. Take it easy and think of it as a charity donation to all the kids. Look at them,"_ he pointed to the window, _"they are happy."_

The woman saw children standing in a line and giving piles of books one to another. The last kid placed the books on the grass.

" _I don't even have a room for all of these. Besides, you know, I can't drive,"_ she shrugged her shoulders still hesitating to accept so many gifts at once.

" _Jake will teach you. It's easy. You don't have to worry about it,"_ he smiled at her once again.

" _Then you need to hurry up. Rain starts at 19:21,"_ she replied already accepting the thought of giving her children a chance to live in luxury. _"And… Thank you, Aaron,"_ Alma said touching the doorknob.

" _You are welcome,"_ the man nodded, _"Has Satan come round yet?"_

" _No, Olive's with her. She's in my room,"_ the woman sighed too worried about the unconscious girl.

" _She needs more time. This child is like a battery, needs to charge to function properly again."_

" _I wish I were at her place when my brother did that to her,"_ Alma pronounced with regret.

" _You are at your place, Alma. I hope Satan will see it. Catherine and Sat have never been close as mother and daughter. Maybe that's why she doesn't trust people,"_ he explained with a kind of sorrow in his voice.

" _She likes you,"_ the ymbryne emphasized.

" _I try to protect her. It's the only case why this child trusts me. So, we'll need to store everything I brought somewhere."_

" _The car you can leave in the shed. Books children will bring in the living room. Unfortunately, we don't have so many shelves for them. Half of the vehicle of books is too much. Pipes and boards would be in the yard for now because the vault is full,"_ said Alma.

" _Full with what?"_ asked the man a little bit worried that the wood would be soaked under the rain.

" _With things children couldn't get rid of."_

" _As I see, today is going to be a long day,"_ Aaron groaned.

" _As usual it was your idea to come in the middle of the night without preventing anyone about anything!"_ She commented on his stupid behavior.

" _Don't worry, with such obedient kids as yours we can take on the world,"_ he assured her.

" _Fine, I'll go tell them where to store things and start to make lunch or even the most obedient children will become beasty without a proper meal,"_ she gave him a wink.

It was already 5 p.m. and everyone was tired. Nevertheless, children together with Miss Peregrine and Mr. Drummond were helping. Jake and Enoch worked together on a huge shelf stand that had to be installed in the living room. Others were throwing everything out from the vault, while Claire and the twins were everywhere at the same time. They played tag, examined old toys that Miss P. took out from the vault, jumped on an old sofa and several arm-chairs that should have been thrown away like 40 years ago but were stocked in the vault instead. Hugh changed Millard on his watch of the unconscious girl. The boy sat in Miss Peregrine's room bored a bit. So, he commanded his bees to spy on the girl. This meant that one of them landed straight at Satan's nose and went up to her forehead, then another stopped at girl's chin to have a rest for a while. Soon girl's face became a buzzing hive, the child moaned and all the bees took off.

" _Please, I don't want to become a hollow! No, no, please, I don't want to be a hollow,"_ Satan mumbled unconsciously. Suddenly she opened her eyes just to see a swarm of bees going in circles right above her head. Instinctively she covered her face with the blanket to hide away from the insects. Hugh immediately inhaled the whole swarm inside his stomach.

" _You can get out. They are not going to hurt,"_ the boy said approaching the bed.

" _Can I have some water, please,"_ Satan asked in a hoarse voice gazing around.

" _Just a second."_ Hugh jumped from the chair, poured some water from the jug that was at the small table near the window and gave it to the girl.

" _What time is it?"_ asked Satan. She was disoriented because she didn't recognize the room only the boy she saw in the morning. At least him she remembered.

" _Who knows, but I hope we have dinner in time, 'cause I'm already hungry,"_ he confessed. _"I have to tell Miss P. that you're back."_

Hugh opened the window and let out the bees from his stomach.

" _Now they'll find her,"_ he said taking the empty glass from girl's membranous hand.

Miss Peregrine was in the kitchen peeling potatoes together with Fiona when a swarm of bees started to bang against the glass of the closed kitchen window.

" _Oh, it's a message from Mr. Apistone. Miss Drummond is probably awake,"_ said the ymbryne standing up and taking off her apron. _"Fiona, ask Emma or Olive to help you with the potatoes. I go take care of our guest."_

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _ **I hope you enjoy the story.**_


	8. Chapter 8

**The Thirteenth**

 **Part 8**

Miss Peregrine warmed the soup left from lunch, took some dried bread put everything on the tray and went to her room.

" _Thank you for your help, Hugh. You may go,"_ the woman said to the boy who seemed to be in a very awkward situation because whatever question he asked Satan, she answered "Yes or No" without any enthusiasm. So, he was relieved when the headmistress finally came with food.

" _How are you, Miss Drummond?"_ followed the question as Miss Peregrine put the tray on the bedside table.

" _Fine, thank you,"_ said the girl rather disappointed to see the woman instead of her uncle.

" _Would you like some soup? Unfortunately, it's the only thing left from lunch. I've never seen my children so hungry before."_ The ymbryne apologized. She put the tray in front of the girl, who was already sitting in her bed.

Satan noticed gloves on woman's hands but she didn't say anything.

" _How is that boy Horace if I remember correctly,"_ asked Satan in a hoarse voice.

" _I've never seen him so happy before. He has been helping Mr. Drummond whole day long and Horace was eager to play with little ones too. What you did for him today is unbelievable. Thank you very much."_ The woman smiled trying to figure out what the girl's feeling was as nothing could be read in those two hollow-abyss-eyes.

" _So, is uncle Aaron still here?"_ Girl's face became suddenly alive.

" _Oh, I think he'll stay here for a long time. He wants to build something like a fortress in the vault. It would take plenty of time,"_ She winked at the girl to show that Mr. Drummond wasn't going anywhere at least for now because the ymbryne could clearly see the bond between the child and the man. Miss Peregrine took a spoon to feed the girl but Satan clenched her teeth and took the spoon from the ymbryne's hand.

" _I'm not a baby. I can eat on my own,"_ Satan pouted.

" _You're as stubborn as you mother,"_ the bird commented.

" _May I talk to my uncle?"_ The girl asked eating soup.

" _Only if you eat everything,"_ said the woman examining girl's fallen cheeks and sick pallor of her face.

" _Why am I here but not in the living room?"_

" _Because your uncle brought a library of books, now Enoch and Jacob install shelves so it's quite loud out there,"_ the ymryne explained patiently. _"By the way, until you get better you stay in bed. I forbid you to get up and heal anyone. One more healing and you will never come back."_

" _That's why you put on gloves,"_ Satan looked curiously at the woman if anyone could say what those black eyes reflected.

" _Yes, that's right."_

" _Now may I talk to my uncle?"_ the child asked showing her the empty plate.

" _Yes, I call him and bring tea with biscuits. I hope you like them."_ She took the tray with empty plates and went out.

" _How's my little orca doing?"_ He ruffled hair on girl's head that made the latter frown in return.

Miss Peregrine served tea and left the room to give them space to talk.

" _So, what's up?"_ Mr. Drummond took a cup of tea and made a sip.

" _When I was healing Horace today his pain was because of me,"_ she spoke confused a little.

" _What do you mean because of you?"_ Aaron also couldn't get what she was referring to.

" _I saw myself turning into a hollow. He was scared to death and this brought him enormous pain. How can it be possible?"_

" _Oh, I think I understood. Horace's peculiarity is prophecy. He sees prophetic dreams. Each time he has a dream his head aches enormously."_ This could be the only explanation of why Satan saw herself while treating the boy.

" _But I can't turn into a hollow, can I?"_ The child sounded frightened.

" _When you were six years old you turned into a vampire. You lived at a farm those days and your mom closed you in a kennel because you attacked a lamb and sucked blood,"_ he reminded the girl about her past.

" _I don't remember that. I remember the kennel, though. How long are you going to stay?"_

" _Until the vault is ready,"_ he said firmly.

She nodded sadly wanting for his work not to be finished ever.

After dinner children were so tired that they didn't want to read books or watch Horace's dreams. They drifted away in their rooms after having a shower and immediately fell asleep. Alma tucked the blanket around Claire's sleeping form, kissed Bronwyn good night and went back into the kitchen to wash the piles of dishes. Jake and Enoch assembled the shelves but didn't manage to put the books on them. So, the living room was a mess. The rain stopped outside as the ymbryne had already recharged the loop.

" _You may take the sleeping bag upstairs in my room. I'll sleep on the sofa,"_ she told the man giving him another plate which he dried with the towel.

" _No way, today I'm sleeping on the sofa. That sleeping bag is quite small for me,"_ he said as a matter of fact.

" _Do you want me to sleep in a sleeping bag?! I'm still the owner of this house, Mr. Drummond. You're just a guest in here,"_ she huffed casting him a killing gaze.

" _You may sleep in your bed with Satan or here with me on the sofa. It's your choice,"_ he replied half joking half serious.

" _You know I can't sleep with your niece."_ She didn't finish as he interrupted.

" _She's your niece too, don't forget about that."_

" _What if I touch her at night, Horace nearly killed her today,"_ Alma ignored his comment.

" _Satan is not very cuddly. I think you'll be just fine, if you don't want to share the sofa with me instead,"_ he grinned.

" _Don't even dream about it,"_ she snapped back.

" _Don't worry, I'm joking. Besides, I never dreamed of dating a woman with 12 kids,"_ he chuckled.

She didn't answer anything but smiled.

When Miss Peregrine finally got into bed the child had been fast asleep. Satan curled into a ball on one side of the bed and the ymbryne lay down on the other side to make sure that she won't touch the child accidentally.

" _Miss Peregrine, Miss Peregrine, wake up."_ Satan was shaking the woman's shoulder to make get her up because Alma was crying in her sleep. When the ymbryne finally opened her eyes and saw girl's face in the light of the night-lamp, she jumped out of the bed in horror. Few seconds later she realized where she was and who was in the bed.

" _Miss Drummond, I'm sorry. I didn't mean…"_ she panted trying to get over her nightmare.

" _It's OK. You're not the first who runs away in fear of seeing my face,"_ the girl told calmly. _"Who's Victor?"_

" _The boy I failed to take care of,"_ explained Alma.

" _What happened to him? You'd better sit because your head's spinning,"_ proposed the child.

Miss Peregrine wasn't surprised to hear the child talk about her feelings because it was obvious those eyes could see exactly what was happening to a human being no matter if the girl touched the one or not.

" _He died,"_ told the woman sitting back on the side of the bed. _"Living in the loop is hard, I don't say that living in the real world is better but at least there you have new experience day after day. Here children have to live one and the same day all the time. If you are small it's fine because your imagination is vast. You can play all day long, you can have fun. Victor was in his seventeen's when he started to run away. He wanted more information, more adventure, to see other people. It was boring to stay all day round with children, who didn't understand him. He wasn't in the age of playing anymore, he wanted to leave. Victor took his sister with him. She was the age of Claire that time. They ran away only to come back two days after. A hollow followed them into the loop. I had been searching for them everywhere and when I saw Victor running away from something with Bronwyn in his arms my heart sank. His face was in blood, he cried for help fighting with something invisible. I saved my little girl but the hollow plucked my boy with him and returned for others. I killed it. After that we found Victor's body lying on the sand his eyes pulled out. This happened in the loop, that's why I kill this hollow ghast every day. Alas, for Victor it was his final brave fight. So, you and everyone else can't go to the beach between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m., as I'm not sure where that hollow-ghast might be."_

" _I'm sorry,"_ said the girl feeling woman's sorrow. _"A hollow ghast captured me. When mom came to rescue me, there were too many of them. They surrounded her and a wight beheaded her."_ The child confessed and a single tear ran out her abyss-eye.

Miss Peregrine wanted to reach out for the child to calm her down.

" _Don't touch me!"_ the girl jerked away.

" _I'm so sorry for your loss,"_ the woman immediately forgot about her intension to hug the girl.

Satan lay down and turned away covering her head with the blanket. The child cried herself to sleep while Miss Peregrine was thinking of how to deal with another broken-hearted and lost girl whose mother died in front of her eyes.

" _Morning! Did you sleep well? I slept like a baby,"_ said the man stealing a slice of ham that Alma was cutting for breakfast.

" _Good morning,"_ just with her stern look she showed Mr. Drummond that if another piece was missing from the plate he would lose a finger. _"Did you know that she saw Catherine's death?"_ The woman was somehow afraid to pronounce the name of Miss Drummond.

" _Satan told you, didn't she? I supposed this but she didn't want to talk about that, so I had never asked."_ He confessed.

" _She said that hollows surrounded them and the wight beheaded…"_ The words stuck in her throat. _"Listen, I'm so sorry."_

" _I know. When Catherine disappeared I started my investigation. Captured one wight who told me in detail what happened to her. He was very proud of it. I made sure he would die in agony. The wight who beheaded my sister is Barron. It's just the matter of time for him to be caught."_ His eyes became hard as stones when he spoke. The revenge was inevitable the ymbryne was sure about it.

" _Can you prepare three more portions for breakfast and I'll steal four of your boys and two girls if you don't mind,"_ he asked nonchalantly. _"They'll be back before breakfast, I promise."_

" _Do we expect guests?"_ Alma raised one eye-brow with a frown.

" _Do you think I can somehow miraculously rebuild the vault by myself in a week?"_ he retorted.

" _Aaron, you got to be joking! I have no rooms left! The house is full! Where should I accommodate three more people?"_ She looked at the man as he was insane.

" _Hey, keep your hair on. You don't need to give them shelter. They can stay in real time as well as in the loop,"_ he explained.

" _Oh, very nice! You told three strangers about my loop! How thoughtful of you! Maybe it was better to put an advertisement about this place somewhere in The Daily Telegraph?"_ Alma hissed at the man angrily.

" _When you see them, you'll change your opinion. Now I'll go and wake up the children I need,"_ he huffed and left the room leaving the woman to cut everything she needed for breakfast.

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _ **It would be nice to have more comments about this piece. Thank you!**_


	9. Chapter 9

**The Thirteenth**

 **Part 9**

An air horn rang at the back yard and Bronwyn went out to see who was it while Miss Peregrine and Horace were laying the table and Emma together with the twins and Claire went to keep Satan a company.

" _Good morning, Sir,"_ the child greeted politely an old man sitting at the steering wheel in the car that Mr. Drummond gave them as a gift yesterday.

" _Good morning, dear,"_ the man got out of the car. _"My name is Allain Wallace and yours?"_

" _Bronwyn Bruntley, Sir,"_ replied the little girl.

" _Nice to meet you, Bronwyn!"_ he shook her hand gently.

" _Nice to meet you too, Mr. Wallace."_

" _Will you help me with this plastic bag while I am taking those boxes?"_ He gave her a huge bag with crocheted toys and took two big heavy boxes.

" _Mr. Wallace, may you give me these boxes, please,"_ the girl asked almost offended by a huge but mostly not heavy packet.

" _I'm sorry, dear. They are too heavy for such a small child,"_ he apologized.

Bronwyn put the bag on the ground and as she stood near the car, without any hesitation she took the car by its face bar and lifted it.

" _Oh, fine then. You'll take these boxes and I take out the bicycles,"_ he said surprised to see such a small child lifting the car.

" _Miss Peregrine, Mister Wallace came in the car full with bicycles. Where should I put these boxes?"_ asked the girl. Miss Peregrine could hardly see her behind the boxes because they were large and mounted over her tiny body.

" _Put them somewhere in the living room. I'll open them later,"_ the ymbryne answered and rushed outside.

" _Mr. Wallace, what a pleasure to see you again!"_ She approached the man and hugged him.

" _The best ymbryne in Miss Avocet's Academy graduation year 1941 if I'm not mistaken,"_ he smiled returning the hug and looking at the woman in admiration.

Mr. Wallace was already in his sixties. It was a tall man slightly overweight mostly because of his age than because of eating too much. He wore a beard and a mustache which were grey as well as his hair. His dark brown eyes shined with wisdom and kindness. He seemed to be a strict but fair man. His peculiarity was longevity but not immortality like Mr. Drummond's and also he could reshape things in whatever form he needed.

" _You've got an excellent memory,"_ she nodded still smiling. _"My God, how many bicycles are here?"_

" _These are for smallest children, others will be ridden here by your children as nothing gets in these stupid pre-war cars,"_ he grumbled.

" _Nothing? How many have you bought?"_ The ymbryne must definitely speak with Mr. Drummond today because all these gifts were too much.

" _Bought? Nobody bought anything! I've ordered them on one of my factories as you know machines and equipment of the 21_ _st_ _century don't work in prehistoric loops. That's why I've ordered my engineers to make the best bicycles from the same materials and best sketches that could be possible in 1943,"_ explained the old man.

" _I'm truly grateful but you shouldn't do such an expensive present,"_ Alma thanked him making a tick in her mind to kill Aaron when he comes back.

" _Miss Avocet once helped me and Aaron saved my son many times as they've been working together for more than 50 years. Besides, I remember you since you were a 14 year-old clumsy girl at Miss Avocet's course. I'm rich enough to provide a bunch of kids with some toys."_

The old man wasn't rich enough, he stunk of money. If he wanted he could buy not an island in the ocean but the whole continent to live there. Of course, if there had been such a possibility, but as he didn't have this possibility he helped the syndrigasti around the world, only those syndrigasti, who could do something good for the planet or other people.

Miss Peregrine helped him to take bikes for little kids out of the car as well as two bigger bicycle probably for thirteen-year-olds then she invited him in the house. They were drinking tea and watching mesmerized children who were already standing outside examining their posh bikes. Emma was still upstairs with Satan, whom Miss Peregrine forbade to get up. When the front door opened and Jake stormed in the hall followed by Enoch obviously both of them were out of breath.

" _Hurray, I'm the first!"_

" _It's because you took shortcuts,"_ argued Enoch _"and this stupid box fell down."_

" _Hey, I stopped when you lost it at the turning,"_ Jake disagreed putting two boxes down on the floor in the hall.

" _Boys, please, put your bikes in the back yard. The lawn is not a parking lot!"_ Miss Peregrine's voice could be clearly heard from the dining room.

" _In a second Miss P."_ said Jake and pushed Enoch in the elbow. They both ran outside.

Then in the garden appeared Hugh and Millard followed by Fiona on bicycles as well as Mr. Drummond and Mr. Chadwick, a tall slim dark haired man, with grey eyes and a face of a dying calf. He looked awkward on the bike like a grass-hopper which was given some strange machine for walking and now he was struggling not to fall down from it and break his long legs. Miss Peregrine knew him from the congress where they met maybe ten years ago. He was a peculiar with an extraordinary ability of levitating things no matter how heavy they were. In spite of his foolish and absent-minded look, the man had a number of degrees in psychology, philosophy and literature and worked as an international consultant in an advertising company being a total introvert and a reserved person.

" _Lady and gentlemen, wash your hands and you are welcome at the table,"_ Miss Peregrine greeted the just arrived children and adults. _"Where is Olive?"_

" _They'll be in a few minutes,"_ replied Aaron carefully putting down a heavy sack with something in the hall.

Everyone was finally at the table while Alma was going to take a bowl of fruit from the kitchen when the door opened and the blonde pretty woman hanged on Alma as if she was her last resort.

" _Alma, my favourite bird! I'm so glad to see you again!"_ She suffocated the poor bird in her strong arms.

" _Karen Drummond, my Gosh, is that you! When I left you were a girl of my age,"_ Miss Peregrine was a little bit shocked to see Aaron's daughter again. So much time has passed this stunning blonde beauty didn't resemble even a bit the girl of 11 she was once.

" _It's Mrs. Oren actually, a widow with a twenty five year old son, who has become a vampire slayer just like me."_ She grinned at the ymbryne telling the story of her life in one short sentence.

" _I can't believe it. Never forget us playing together after I recovered from that nasty attack of my brother,"_ Miss Peregrine remembered the sunny days spent with the Drummonds.

" _Me too! So, where is my cousin? I have something delicious for her,"_ the woman asked, her green eyes still sparkling because of those warm memories Alma revoke in her heart.

" _Chocolates! Will we have chocolates too?"_ sounded a small voice from behind the ymbryne's back.

" _Chocolates? And what's your name, little princess?"_ Karen squatted to be the height of the girl.

" _My name's Claire,"_ the little girl introduced herself.

" _I'm Karen,"_ the woman smiled at Claire.

" _Claire, is it polite to intervene when two adults are talking?"_ Miss Peregrine asked her charge folding her arms in front of her to show how disappointed she was.

The little girl immediately knitted her brows and looked at the floor.

" _Hey, I don't think that what I brought for Satan would be delicious for you, but we bought a box of chocolates for all of you. Mr. Wallace had it in the car. I recon 50 pounds would be enough at least for one day,"_ Karen chuckled.

Caire's face light up.

" _50 pounds is more than 20 right?"_ The child asked because she could count only until 20.

" _Right, sweetheart."_ The blonde woman smiled.

" _You'll have some only after breakfast."_ The ymbryne was implacable.

" _What did you buy Satan?"_ Claire enquired out of curiosity.

" _Raw, fresh fish. It's her favourite food,"_ Karen replied. _"Do you mind if I eat with Satan outside,"_ she addressed to Alma.

" _Raw fish?! My children will never eat raw fish! It's unhealthy and can cause a lot of problems afterwards."_

" _Alma, dad said Satan hadn't been feeling well since he rescued her from the wights. We call her orca not just for fun. This child is a half amphibian creature. How would you feel if you didn't turn into a bird from time to time? It's the same with Satan,"_ Karen tried to persuade her childhood friend.

" _There is an alcove in the garden. I'll bring your breakfast there. Miss Drummond is in my room with Emma,"_ said the ymbryne not very pleased with the idea, though.

" _Will you show me where Miss Peregrine's room is?"_ Karen took Claire's hand in her soft palm.

The girl eagerly nodded and they went upstairs.

" _Karen!"_ Satan hanged on the woman like a monkey baby.

" _I also missed you, orca!"_ Mrs. Oren stood upright holding the child in her arms. _"And you must be Emma,"_ she turned to the girl in light green dress with heavy boots on her feet.

" _Yes, Ma'am,"_ Emma said looking at the woman then at Claire.

" _My name's Karen. I'm Mr. Drummond's daughter. Nice to meet you, Emma. I'll take care of this skeleton here. You'd better take Claire and go to Miss Peregrine. Everyone is already at the table,"_ Karen told the girl not letting go of Satan who stuck to her clasping her membranous hands over Karen's neck and hugging woman's waist with her bonny legs.

Emma politely took Claire's by the hand and they went to have breakfast with the others.

" _Ok, let's take a cover and go outside,"_ the blonde woman suggested.

" _What for?"_

" _I brought something yummy for you."_

" _Is that fish?"_ Satan grinned with the perfectly sharp teeth.

" _How did you know? Can you read minds?"_ Karen teased the girl, still, her heart sank when she noticed child's anorexic form.

" _I can read yours!"_

" _Sat, where are you clothes? Do you have a jacket?"_

" _Downstairs, in the living room."_

" _Let's take the jacket."_ Without letting go of the girl, the woman went with her downstairs.

" _Why hadn't you visited me in the asylum?"_ asked Satan putting on her jacket.

" _Asylum? How long have you been in the asylum?"_ Karen has never thought that Catherine could have sent this child to the looney bin.

" _I had been there for nearly two years until I ran away. Nobody visited me, not mom, you or uncle Aaron."_ Satan pronounced somehow offended.

" _I'm sorry, little one. I didn't even know. Your mom said that you were in a protected secret place. She said the less people knew the better. We didn't argue, she was your mom. She had the right to protect you in her own way."_

Karen tried to find a sober explanation to Catherine's actions but she could hardly imagine herself sending her own child to the asylum, especially, such a sensitive girl as Satan was. How a reasonable and rationally thinking parent could put a peculiar into the asylum? It was an insane thought from the beginning, because Satan's abilities changed once a month. Nobody could predict what this girl could turn into the next time and Catherine was bold enough to get rid of the child no matter what.

The woman looked at her cousin and now she understood who this child looked like. In front of Karen on the sofa was siting a small copy of her childhood friend. The same jaw line and cheek bones, the same shape of eyes, lips and even the waves of not so long but shiny raven hair. If not that unhealthy thinness, black hollowed eyes and strangely shaped teeth, the child resembled Alma at the age of nine. Right now Karen had no doubt about it.

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _ **I'm horribly sorry, but I won't continue the story for some months because of another project I'm involved in right now. Thank you for all your comments. They really help.**_


	10. Chapter 10

**The Thirteenth**

 **Part 10**

Miss Peregrine brought breakfast to the alcove where Satan was already eating the raw fish. The fish was stocked in a pile on the foil. It was mostly cod and rockfish. The girl took one in her membranous hands and in one bite took off its head, which she ate with a great crunch. Alma couldn't help but wince at such picture.

" _Have you washed your hands, Miss Drummond?"_ Alma asked putting the tray with porridge, biscuits, fruits and tea on the table.

The girl nodded and mumbled something inarticulate because her mouth was full with raw fish-meat which she obviously enjoyed more than the food Miss Peregrine cooked.

" _Thank you, Alma,"_ said Karen taking one bowl of oatmeal porridge with candied fruits. " _Smells nice!"_

" _I hope you know what you're doing. If she has a stomach ache after this meal, don't ask me for help,"_ the ymbryne reprimanded the blonde woman, who wasn't so skeptical about raw fish, though.

" _I remember you eating small birds alive. So, don't tell me that fish is something mind-blowing,"_ Karen reminded Miss Peregrine of her inglorious past.

" _At that period of time I was in a form of a bird!"_ The ymbryne huffed in disagreement.

" _Satan is half killer whale half human being all the time. Actually, we are not sure what type of physical peculiarity she has. You see, she has bee-eyes, gills, membranes on both her hands and feet."_ The blonde woman explained her theory.

" _This doesn't matter as long as she feels well but after this amount of raw fish I'm not sure about it,"_ the ymbryne commented emphasizing the number of fish on the foil.

" _Here's just a pound,"_ said Karen nonchalantly. _"Sat needs some flesh on her bones and fish always was her favourite dish. Am I right?"_

" _Yes, pretty yummy!"_ said the child with her mouth full.

" _Whatever,"_ Miss Peregrine rolled her eyes and went away.

" _Karen, can I stay with you?"_ Satan asked wiping her mouth and hands with a tissue.

" _I wish I could take you with me. But right now it's too dangerous,"_ said Karen putting a spoonful of porridge in her mouth trying to avoid other questions the child might ask. _"It's better here with Alma and kids. It would be a lot of fun."_

" _She screams at night."_

" _Who?"_

" _Miss Peregrine and she doesn't like me. She can't even pronounce my name."_

" _That's nonsense, Alma loves children. You have an unusual name, she needs to get used to it. As for her screaming at night, from time to time each of us has a bad dream."_

" _She's in constant pain all the time. Her leg hurts like hell and the scars on her back. I didn't see much when she touched me, still I know that it was my father who did that to her,"_ Satan confessed.

" _Satan, I understand that you want to treat her but I forbid you. Look at you, a skeleton looks healthier. What did that bastard do to you?"_

" _Nothing, he just let the hollow-ghasts touch me. I can't control the power to heal when somebody touches my skin. It's like they drank my whole energy,"_ the child looked emaciated and haggard.

" _So, I don't want to see you healing anyone else, until you feel better. Drink your tea and I put you to bed,"_ said Karen taking away the dirty foil for the child to drink tea without that horrible fish smell.

After breakfast where children asked as many questions as they could their guests, Miss Peregrine was clearing the table when Karen appeared in the room.

" _Alma, do you have a spare bathtub?"_

" _Do you want to have a bath? Yes, sure you may use mine upstairs. Children won't go there,"_ the woman said putting the empty cups on the tray.

" _It's not for me, it's for Satan. Can I put her to bed in the bath?"_

Miss Peregrine stopped doing whatever she was doing and stared at her childhood friend in a complete shock.

" _You mean you want her to sleep underwater?"_

" _You are very perspicatious,"_ said Karen.

" _Fine, why not?"_ Miss Peregrine told Jake, Olive and Emma to take away the dirty cups and plates and went upstairs with Karen.

" _You may take off your clothes if you want, nobody will come here,"_ said Alma watching the child who was patiently waiting for the bathtub to be filled in with water.

" _Do you usually sleep naked?"_ was the question.

" _What?"_ The ymbryne was taken aback by this comment. _"No, of course, not!"_

" _Then why should I go to sleep naked?"_ Satan retorted.

Miss Peregrine left the last enquiry without a reply.

" _At least take off your PJ top,"_ Karen said helping the child with the clothes. The child remained in a strap vest and PJ pants. _"Ok, now you may lie down."_

The kid got into the water and in a minute she was relaxing under the surface of water regularly blowing bubbles from her gills. Karen gave a thumbs-up to see if everything was going well. The girl repeated the gesture and turned over on her side to make herself more comfortable.

" _Now she can sleep forever,"_ said the blonde woman satisfied with the view.

" _Fine, I go see how the other kids are doing."_

Miss Peregrine has just opened the door to leave her room and saw Hugh, Millard and Fiona standing in front of her.

" _Miss Peregrine, can we try our new bikes in the village, please, please, please?"_ Fiona begged with that charming puppy expression on her face which the ymbryne could never resist.

" _You may go only if you persuade Horace to come with you,"_ the headmistress said strictly.

The flock immediately flew away in search of Horace.

" _Miss P., it's impossible to wash the dishes because Mr. Chadwick and Mr. Drummond are going to install the dishwasher!"_ told Emma with a frown.

" _Ok, let's see. Where are the little ones by the way?"_ The woman looked worriedly at Emma.

" _They are outside with Mr. Wallace watching him reshaping old furniture we took out from the vault yesterday. Jake, Enoch and Olive are sorting out the books in the living room,"_ the girl, who was on duty today, explained to the ymbryne.

" _Go and help them. I'll see what's going on in the kitchen."_ The woman rushed there because the noise of something falling down was clearly heard from the staircase.

" _What's going on…"_ Miss Peregrine didn't finish the sentence because the whole kitchen was a mess. The cupboards together with dishes and utensils were standing aside near the opposite wall while a huge dishwasher was in the middle of the room.

" _Don't worry, Alma. We put everything back as it was,"_ Mr. Chadwick assured the ymbryne who seemed to be surely surprised by such metamorphoses.

" _Couldn't you at least wait until I wash the dishes?"_ The woman fumed looking around so lovely place for her which was completely destroyed by two men in 15 minutes she was out.

" _There's no need to wash anything when we plug it in,"_ said Mr. Drummond.

" _You'd better install it before lunchtime because I've got 13 children and 5 adults to feed,"_ she warned them and stormed out as quickly as her injured leg let her.

While two men were installing the dishwasher, Mr. Wallace reshaped old ugly chairs and a sofa into a wonderful garden seat swings with a tent. The children were watching with their mouths open, because the man disassembled every piece of furniture till the last small bolt, made slim firm metal tubes out of all metallic objects he found in the furniture, reshaped the design of the sofa putting the wood together in such a way that it was one solid block in the shape of a bench with the back. Then Mr. Wallace put this so called 'sofa' on two metallic sticks which were connected to two tubes that made the carcass of the whole construction. In 20 minutes a superb modern swings, where could sleep an adult about 6 feet high, was ready to accept its first guests.

" _Fine!"_ The old man said observing his creation. _"Who wants to try it?"_

Everyone present was eager to be the first. So, Mr. Wallace told all children to sit on because Claire, Bronwyn and the twins could get on the swings without a problem. The man pushed the back of the swing and the kids were surely pleased to be swinging together. Miss Peregrine saw them from the window of the library where she came in to check what her teens were doing. Olive and Emma were trying to systematize the books according to the alphabet while Jake and Enoch were arguing with the girls that the books should be separated according to fields of science or literature they represented. That's why Miss Peregrine gave them some instructions to organize this chaos. As the woman had nothing else to do, she went back to the younger children. Karen also went outside to ask something.

" _Miss P., where is Satan?"_ asked the blonde curly head jumping from the swings and running to the headmistress the second she saw her leaving the house.

" _She's sleeping in my room,"_ answered the woman gently touching girl's curls.

" _Why is she again sleeping in your room? It's not even the time for a lie-in!"_ Claire crossed her tiny arms in front of her chest showing her total disapproval of the ymbryne's decision. _"Maybe I also want to sleep in your room!"_ added the small child.

" _Oh, Alma, your kids are jealous. Do you sleep with all of them?"_ Karen teased her friend.

" _You know what, Karen Drummond. If somebody else said that, I would have become offended. But like father like daughter, you can stick this comment where the sun doesn't shine!"_ The bird rattled off showing her complete disappointment by the woman's behavior.

" _Wow, Alma, so rude and in front of the kids!"_ Karen grinned even bigger.

" _I also want to sleep in your bed!"_ Claire nearly started crying.

" _Claire, what's wrong with you? I don't recognize you today."_ Miss Peregrine took the smallest charge in her arms.

" _Do you love her more because she's your niece?"_ The child looked jealous and desperate to lose her mother she saw in this strong, sometimes severe but always fair woman.

" _I don't love anybody more or less. I love you all equally."_

" _Then why is Satan still sleeping in your room? She can sleep somewhere else!"_ The child rebelled.

" _Where else? In the library Emma, Olive, Enoch and Jake are sorting out the books. Kitchen is a mess and other rooms are occupied. Besides, she's not exactly in my room."_ The ymbryne tried to reason her beloved little girl.

" _How come she isn't in your room if she isn't anywhere else?"_ The child looked confused at her principal.

" _You'd be surprised to see where Miss Drummond can sleep."_

" _Can you show me?"_ asked Claire.

" _And me, and me. I also want to see!"_ Bronwyn left her seat on the swings followed by the twins.

" _Show them and after that you show me the vault. I need to see where dad wants my cousin to live,"_ Karen interfered in the conversation.

The children were really surprised when the ymbryne crossed her room and opened the bathroom.

" _Come in but quietly. Miss Drummond is sleeping,"_ Miss Peregrine whispered to the kids.

They walked on the tips of their toes to the bathtub and saw a strange picture. A nine-year old was curled in a fetal ball under the water at the bottom of the bath. Only small bubbles appeared on the surface of water at constant intervals. They could see some strange holes opening and closing above the clavicle.

" _How does she breathe?"_ whispered Bronwyn really stunned by the view.

" _With the help of gills,"_ answered Karen pointing at the holes on girl's upper body.

" _So, do you still want to sleep like Miss Drummond?"_ asked Miss Peregrine her smallest charge whose eyes turned into two big plates.

" _No, my bed is better!"_ concluded the girl. _"May we cycle in the yard, Miss P.?"_

" _Sure, let's go. Miss Drummond needs to have a rest."_

 _ **To be continued…**_


	11. Chapter 11

**The Thirteen**

 **Part 11**

Satan got out of the bath-tube leaving a vast trail of water after her. She didn't find any towel in the bathroom. So, the child decided to take off her PJ pants and the T-shirt to remain in panties in order not to moisten the floor in Miss Peregrine's room. She found her leggings and hoodie on the chair and put them on her wet body. Water dropped from her dark hair on the floor. Satan tied up the sneakers and went downstairs to see what others were doing. She felt much better but still weak to go too fast. The girl covered her head by a hood, so in the dark corridor a slim form with sparkling hollow eyes in the hood would have frighten anybody. Kids were laying the table for dinner. Hugh and Millard put plates and glasses on the table. Millard followed his peer with a huge tray of glasses when Satan appeared right in front of him from the stairs. Wet hair stuck to her cheeks, the hoodie was too big for such a slim figure and those black eyes on the skeleton-like face stared at Millard. The boy gave a start of surprise and the tray fell down on the floor. The sound of smashing glasses filled in the air. Miss Peregrine immediately ran out of the kitchen scared to death of the horrible sound.

" _Wow! You are really odd! If I say 'boo', will you run away crying for mommy?"_ asked the girl squatting to help gather the glass from the floor.

" _Millard, are you alright?"_ Miss Peregrine rushed into the hall to see the quantity of the damage.

" _I'm OK. I'm sorry, Miss P."_ He said putting another piece of crashed glass on the tray.

" _Stop collecting it with bare hands!"_ she told them strictly fearing that they might cut themselves.

" _Don't punish him, please. It was my fault,"_ said the girl stubbornly picking pieces of glass from the floor. _"I ran into him when was running down the stairs."_ She lied.

" _Miss Drummond, I told you to stop picking the glass. You can cut yourself!"_ Miss Peregrine took the girl by her sleeve in order not to touch her skin. _"My God! Your hair is soaking wet!"_

The noise of crashing glasses gathered nearly all inhabitants of the house. Older children came from the living room, where they were classifying the books.

" _Great! Now we'll have to drink water from the jug as the invisible boy charmed our glasses!"_ Enoch commented on the disaster.

" _Go to hell!"_ Millard snapped back.

" _Watch your tongue both of you!"_ the bird cut them off.

" _Alma, don't worry. I can recover all the dishes. How many glasses were on the tray?"_ asked Mr. Wallace.

Millard told him the exact number. Alma told the kids what to do and took Satan upstairs to change her clothes.

" _What were you thinking about, going out in wet clothes!"_

" _You haven't left any towels and the bag with my clothes is downstairs. I went there to ask you where I can dry my clothes and take something to get changed!"_ said the grumpy child.

The ymbryne put on her leather gloves to help the girl to get undressed but Satan refused her help.

" _If you give me a mop. I'll wipe out the puddles in the bathroom,"_ told the girl drying herself with a towel.

" _You're barely walking. I'll take care of the bathroom myself,"_ huffed Miss Peregrine because the child looked so skinny and pale that she would fall down under the weight of the mop. " _By the way, don't ever lie to me. You couldn't have run into Millard."_

" _Is that visible-invisible boy always so jumpy?"_ asked the kid showing her disgustingly perfectly sharped teeth.

" _They'll get used to you, dear. They just need some more time."_ She said drying child's hair with a massive hair dryer which was an up-to-date model in 1943 but for Satan it seemed to be an ancient equipment of the Stone Age.

" _Are you really my aunt?"_ the child couldn't get so drastic difference between this woman and her father. Even her mother was harsher on her than this weird lady who instead of throwing a tantrum because on the bathroom floor she could easily sail toy ships, Miss Peregrine has been drying her hair.

" _Yes, if you are really my brother's daughter,"_ said the woman combing those unruly dark locks.

" _And if I'm not, can you persuade uncle Aaron to take me travelling with him and Karen?"_ asked Satan still not accepting the idea to live in this ancient place.

" _No, it's very dangerous for a 9 year old to travel with Mr. Drummond. Maybe when you get a little bit older."_

Satan frowned but didn't argue.

" _May I go outside? My head's spinning to sleep so much."_

" _Yes, you may go after lunch."_

Bronwyn knocked on the door of the ymbryne's room to tell that lunch has been served. So, all three of them went downstairs. Alma was surprised by the length of the table because now it was at least two seats longer than usual at each side. A table cloth also changed its size and length somehow as well as former crashed glasses now were engraved with flowers, animals and fish. Additional five chairs not the same as the others but very stylish looking were standing next to the table.

" _Alma, I hope you don't mind. I made some changes to the furniture,"_ said Mr. Wallace because the table was too short for 4 new visitors and one child.

" _That was very kind of you, Mr. Wallace. Now everyone has a place. Thank you very much."_

The woman invited all kids to the table, who came together with the newcomers.

Satan sat between Karen and Enoch feeling herself totally alone because the kids were eager to hear new stories and find out more about creatures living in the real world of the 21st century. Karen spoke about vampires, Mr. Drummond told about other immortals while Mr. Wallace and Mr. Chadwick described the peculiars they met. The ymbryne was monitoring her kids' behavior, sometimes making observations about their posture at the table or inappropriate remark, especially, from Enoch. Satan was sitting opposite Millard, who seemed to be quite not in his plate after everything that happened. He tried not to look at the girl and pretended to listen to lively chirping of Bronwyn. Fiona spoke with Hugh about growing vegetables in the vault because Mr. Drummond had to do a canalization there and carrot of tremendous size was just what he looked for. She also was sitting opposite the newcomer and avoided staring at her as if Satan was contagious. Mr. Drummond as well as Miss Peregrine were at the head at each part of the table. If Alma was chatting to Mr. Wallace and taking care of Claire's back mouth, Mr. Drummond at the same time was talking to Jake, Olive and Emma. Lunch started with chicken soup, followed by ragout and ended with two enormous but very delicious apple pies with hot tea. Everyone was happy except Satan, who didn't feel like eating and didn't want to communicate either.

After lunch teens put all plates, pans and cutlery into the washing machine and the ymbryne went upstairs to get the little charges to bed. Twins and Claire followed her without any rebel because they were truly tired after so many events of the day. Others went outside or to their rooms to have some peace and quiet.

" _No, I want to sleep in your room!"_ frowned Claire stamping in dissatisfaction.

" _Claire, you are already a big girl and big girls sleep in their own rooms,"_ Miss P. disagreed taking off the flowery dress from her youngest charge.

" _Satan is bigger than me! Why does she sleep in your room?!"_

" _Please, don't call her that. Miss Drummond needs rest. She's sick and I explained to you that I don't have any other place to accommodate her,"_ said the woman putting on the night gown on Claire.

" _She can take my room and I'll live in yours,"_ offered the girl.

Miss Peregrine smiled.

" _That's very kind of you, Miss Densmore. But when I have a proper room for Miss Drummond, she also will sleep there. Until then, she'll be in my room. End of conversation."_

Claire began crying as all sleepy and tired kids do. So, it took the ymbryne some time to calm her down and lull the baby girl to sleep.

" _Do you usually sleep under water?"_ asked Bronwyn curiously, who has been too impressed by the picture of Satan sleeping in the bath-tube.

" _Under water? What do you mean?"_ Satan pretended as she didn't understand because ordinary children were scared to death just by her devilish appearance.

" _I saw you sleeping in Miss P's bathroom!"_

" _Great!"_ Satan murmured to herself. _"How many of you know about that?"_

" _Everybody,"_ said Bronwyn quite surprised because nobody made a secret of it and their principal showed them.

" _Wonderful!"_ the child hissed. _"So, why are you still here? You should run away like Fiona or that visible-invisible boy."_

" _You are weird. This is amazing to breathe under water. I would like to have this ability. For instance, Emma can go under water for an hour. She can hold her breath that long but you really breathe like fish. That's awesome!"_

"What if I turn into a shark and eat you?" asked Satan trying to understand what could scare this pretty weirdo.

" _Can you do that?"_ Bronwyn sat down near the dark haired girl on the grass.

" _No, but it's better for you to stay away from me,"_ warned Satan.

" _You are rude,"_ said Bronwyn and kept silent for a while. _"I'm really sorry for your mother."_ The child said politely.

" _Thank you,"_ replied Satan not knowing how to react to such comments.

" _She was the most courageous wight hunter. Have you spent a lot of time with her?"_

" _Not very much but yes, maybe enough."_

" _Tell some stories. I prefer the one where she saved David Nelson from two hollow ghasts. That was great!"_ Bronwyn's eyes shined with eagerness to hear the details.

" _That was before my birth, I think,"_ said Satan sincerely. Definitely she traveled with Catherine but she has approximately never been in a fight. Mostly Satan spent her time in some motel or another God-forgotten place where she could wait for her mother for days because Catherine never told her where she was going. When she came back wounded or the sindrigasti, she was trying to protect, was injured, Satan had to heal them. It always caused the child enormous pain but if she refused to do it, she would have been beaten by Catherine. The child couldn't disobey her authoritative mother.

" _But you've travelled with her!"_

" _OK. Once an immortal from another clan attacked us. We were going to Scotland by train. It was midnight. We took the last train to Dundee. He tried to behead my mother. She fought with him and cut off his head. The wagon was covered in blood. She jumped with me of the train and we had been walking on foot all night long until we reached a small village to stay there. I remember sleeping in cowshed for some hours till we had to run again."_

" _That's awesome!"_ exclaimed Bronwyn.

This comment puzzled Satan. How could anything like that be awesome?

" _What if somebody has beheaded Miss Peregrine? Would it be also awesome to see her decapitated body?"_

" _No, of course not! But that man attacked you!"_

" _Yes, still, I would never wish to see something like that again."_

" _Miss Peregrine also forbids us to talk about war. Do you know what happened during this war?"_

" _No, I don't. I don't know history. Can you tell me about this place? You have such ancient equipment. I don't understand how you live in here."_

Bronwyn smiled and began talking about everything that has happening on the island she's been living for decades.

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _ **Sorry, for not being able to continue the story for almost three months.**_


	12. Chapter 12

**The Thirteenth**

 **Part 12**

Miss Peregrine has put on her nightgown and brushed her beautiful long black hair. The day was gone with a lot of new stories for children but quite peaceful for her as her charges were occupied with a number of tasks the newcomers provided.

" _Miss Drummond, have you ever wished to take another name?"_ the woman asked turning towards the girl, who was already lying under the blanket half asleep. No matter what she ate raw fish or not, the child felt weak and helpless.

"Why, because you don't want to pronounce it?" The child seemed to look at the ymbryne but who could be sure of it as black abyss had no expression at all.

" _Look, to be named after the devil himself, isn't an honor. It's like everyone always curses you time and time again when they call you that."_

" _You may call me Beast. It's my second name."_

" _Yeah, one no better than another, don't you think?"_

" _What do you suggest?"_

" _What's your favourite name?"_

" _I don't have any. Maybe we play a lottery,"_ the child suggested.

" _What do you mean?"_

" _I'll be living here for some time. Why don't you give an opportunity for other children to write a name on a pieces of paper, put them in a hat and you or someone else can choose one. It would be fair, I guess."_

" _And if you don't like it?"_ asked Miss Peregrine already accepting the idea of a random choice.

" _My official name is Satan Beast Drummond. Any name could be better than this as you say,"_ she emphasized the last point.

" _Alright then. But you also have a right to write the name you like,"_ said the ymbryne getting under the blanket.

" _No, I won't participate. When you were born, did you have any opportunity to choose your own name?"_

" _No, my mother called me Alma, which means "Soul". I like it. It's simple and beautiful,"_ admitted Miss Peregrine.

" _Yeah, my mom also called me on purpose."_

" _Don't say that. She was hurt and angry but she loved you. I'm sure of it."_

" _She'd sent me to an asylum, where they tortured me, did medical experiments. Tell me, will you do the same when uncle Aaron leaves?"_

For some seconds Alma couldn't pronounce anything. A lump of grief and sorrow for this child stuck into her throat, and it was so hard to find the right word to explain Catherine's actions. How could her childhood friend change so drastically? This poor girl was talking about someone else but not about the friend she knew, a fearless Catherine Drummond, who helped those in need but couldn't accept her own daughter.

" _I'm so sorry, child. I promise, I'll never send you away, ever!"_

The woman wanted to touch Satan, to calm her down but suddenly realized, that she couldn't do that. It would cause an enormous pain to the girl, who was still weak and barely walking.

" _OK, good night, Miss P."_

" _Good night, Miss Drummond."_

Approximately at midnight Aaron Drummond woke up on the sofa in the living room because a strange sound of something crunching was coming from the kitchen. As the man didn't find anything heavier than a poker near the mantelpiece, he decided to turn into a lion. A lion in PJ shirt and pants would scare anybody even a grizzly bear, he thought to himself. So, sneakily in the shape of a lion he entered the kitchen and found there the smallest charge of the ymbryne, who was balancing on the chair that was standing on the working station of the cupboard, and she was eating sweets. The child with gusto took out chocolates from a big box, Mr. Wallace brought earlier in the morning, unwrapped the sweetie paper and swallowed them one by one without any attempts for chewing them with her back mouth. Mr. Drummond turned back into his usual human form, not to frighten the child, because Claire didn't see him, and approached the girl.

" _Hm,"_ he made a gurgling sound to make sure Claire was aware of his presence, _"What would Miss Peregrine say in the morning?"_ He asked a very surprised 5 year old, who began hiccupping because of this sudden intrusion.

" _Don't tell her."_ She hiccupped, _"Mr. Drummond, please."_ Claire's eyes immediately filled with tear.

" _Don't even start crying or you'll wake up the whole house. Then, there won't be any reason to keep it a secret."_

The child nodded trying to fight the tears. Aaron helped her to climb down from a quite dangerous height for a 5 year old. Claire's hands were sticky with chocolate, so, when he took her, she instinctively gripped his shirt and left some dark sweet spots on it.

" _Would you like some tea?"_ Mr. Drummond proposed and put the kettle on the stove.

The girl nodded climbing on the chair at the table still hiccupping.

" _Drink some water first,"_ the man gave her a glass of water with a straw which the girl carried to her back mouth to sip.

Her golden locks were also covered in chocolate and looked like she had fallen in a dirty puddle. She was drinking a glass of water to stop the hiccups while Mr. Drummond collected about 20 pieces of sweetie paper of various kind and size to throw them into the rubbish bin.

" _No, if Miss Peregrine finds them in the morning, she'll understand that somebody ate sweets,"_ protested Claire watching Mr. Drummond's manipulations with the paper.

" _And where should we hide all this paper?"_

" _I can hide it in my bedside table,"_ exclaimed the child and suddenly kept silent.

" _You can hide what exactly, Miss Densmore?"_ enquired the woman entering the kitchen. Mr. Drummond clenched the sweetie paper in his fist playing pure innocence.

" _A dead body. Just found one outside,"_ joked Aaron looking straight at the ymbryne.

" _It's not funny, Mr. Drummond,"_ Alma snapped at him. _"May I ask what both of you are doing here in the middle of the night?"_ Her eyes examined one and then another.

" _The kid is thirsty. So, I proposed to drink some tea."_ By saying this Aaron came closer to the trash bin and unclenched his fist right above it. The paper fell right in it without the ymbryne noticing what he was doing.

" _Miss Densmore, what's your explanation?"_ Alma already noticed tiny chocolate fingertips on Aaron's PJ shirt but wanted to play along.

" _I am thirsty. So, I went downstairs to have some water but Mr. Drummond proposed to drink some tea."_ The child said foxily.

" _Can you swear?"_

" _Yes, I can,"_ told the girl without any hesitation looking at the man and avoiding to stare at Miss Peregrine.

" _Fair enough. In that case, Miss Densmore, you remain without any dessert for a week and no bedtime stories or asking me to do anything for you,"_ said Miss Peregrine strictly.

" _Why?!"_ asked Claire filled with indignation.

" _Chocolate stains are all over Mr. Drummond's shirt. It means you were stealing sweets from your brothers and sisters. The worst is, that the box was too high for a 5 year old to get to it. You had to use a chair which is very unstable on the surface of the cupboard and we spoke about that million times before. So, Miss Densmore, I truly regret that I couldn't teach you some manners. Besides, don't come to me, if you have a stomach ache tomorrow."_ Alma turned to face Aaron, _"How many chocolates has she eaten?"_

" _I've no idea."_ He made an innocent face.

" _Move!"_ commanded the woman sternly because Aaron was standing next to the trash bin. _"Approximately 20, Claire, this is outlandish! I'm very disappointed!"_

" _Hey, she's just a child. Now we drink some tea and she'll be fine,"_ reassured Aaron.

" _Of course, Mr. Drummond! I hope tomorrow you'll take care of this little liar who followed your example!"_ She accused him of Claire's cheating. _"I'm going to sleep. As you two wanted to outfox me. I think, Mr. Drummond, you'll be able to wash Claire's locks from the chocolate and get her to bed. Miss Densmore, now all the requests address to Mr. Drummond, please."_ She glared at them for a moment and went upstairs.

" _I'm a mighty lion! Why do I tolerate such a behavior from whom? From a minuscule bird!"_ the man exclaimed.

" _I try not to bite when you wash my locks, I promise,"_ giggled Claire.

The moment Alma has finally fallen asleep again somebody kicked her at the back, then she had a violent punch on the shoulder. The woman grumbled and turned to face the child sleeping in the same bed. Satan has been kicking and punching somebody invisible probably because of a nightmare as her hollow eyes were closed. Miss Peregrine shook her once and another time but for nothing. The girl didn't stop fighting. So, the ymbryne had to take a glass of water from the night table and sprinkle Satan with it, only when the child opened her eyes taking shallow breaths as if she was running a marathon.

" _Miss Drummond, it was just a nightmare. There's nobody here except you and me."_ The ymbryne assured Satan, who looked still lost in the dream.

" _A hollow-ghast, it took my eyes out!"_ cried the child.

" _What?! Don't you see me?"_

With a dim light in the room Miss Peregrine couldn't tell if Satan had eyes or not because they always looked as dark abyss.

" _I see you,"_ told the girl calming down a bit.

The woman stretched a hand to touch the child but Satan jerked back.

" _I'm in gloves. I won't take your energy,"_ said the woman.

" _I don't like when somebody touches me. I can sleep in the bath or on the floor if you like."_

" _I would like you to sleep in bed like all my children."_

" _I'm sorry for leaving those bruises,"_ Satan apologized.

" _Don't worry,"_ said Miss Peregrine on autopilot when suddenly it struck her, that it was impossible for the girl to know what she was doing as she had been deep asleep. _"How did you know?"_

" _It's my ability. For instance, right now your head is spinning, the leg hurts and also the bruises on your back and shoulder. They are small but still…"_ Satan enumerated everything she saw. She was silent for a while. _"By the way, the girl, who freaked out, when she saw me in the bathroom a day before yesterday. She can collapse any time soon. She has a cardiac defect."_

" _What? It's impossible! I would have seen! Fiona is always so energetic. Yesterday she was cycling with boys for two hours!"_ the bird disagreed, how on earth was it possible that she didn't notice the signs of the disease?

" _It is true, though,"_ pouted Satan because she didn't like when someone called her a liar even if the woman hasn't done it.

" _Alright then, I'll arrange a meeting with a doctor."_ Miss Peregrine said firmly.

" _With your ancient equipment he won't be able to establish diagnosis. I can cure her."_

" _No, Miss Drummond. I won't accept someone being at a brink of death to use her power to cure children I'm responsible of. You have to eat, rest and play if you have any strength to do that. How can you make such a precise diagnosis? I mean how can you tell one disease from another? You're just a nine year old."_

" _I always know what happened to people. I see and feel the pain of another person. As for the name of diseases, my mother taught me the structure of our body, mostly for me to name the parts of the organism correctly and also to know how to defend myself. I'm an immortal the same as my mother and uncle Aaron, and Karen. I have to learn how to kill people, not to heal them,"_ confessed the child.

It was true, Miss Peregrine knew it. She remembered Karen, when Catherine took care of the ymbryne, who was attacked by her own brother and nearly was ripped to pieces. Karen was the same warrior child as Satan was. From cradle her friend studied different martial arts. She was skillful with knives, sables, swords and other bladed weapons. Alma thought it wasn't lady like to fight with a sword or punch a heavy bag for hours, but she quickly learned that these were very useful skills. Especially, when her Victor was attacked by a hollow-ghast years later.

" _You need to learn how to survive. Killing another is not the ideology of your clan,"_ corrected the ymbryne.

" _I'm an ugly, bastard fish, who doesn't belong anywhere."_

" _Never say that, darling,"_ Miss Peregrine touched a small membranous hand with her gloved one. _"You belong here with other peculiars. I hope, one day, you can feel that. Now, please, go back to sleep."_

Very gently she tucked the blanket around girl's skeleton form and Satan fell asleep again.

 _ **To be continued…**_

 **Please, leave your comments. They are heartily appreciated.**


	13. Chapter 13

**The Thirteenth**

 **Part 13**

A knock on the door at 5 o'clock in the morning woke up the ymrbryne and her new charge. Bronwyn would have knocked down the door if Miss Peregrine hadn't opened it on time.

" _What's wrong, Miss Bruntley? It's not polite to hammer at the door in such a rude way. You could have woken up everyone in the house!"_ grumbled the bird sick and tired of another short and sleepless night.

" _I'm sorry, Miss P. You have to check on Claire. She doesn't feel well!"_ Bronwyn shouted in one long sentence too worried for her roommate.

" _It's not a surprise. I think we have to wake up Mr. Drummond too, because he is responsible the same as Miss Densmore,"_ huffed the ymbryne.

" _Why is uncle Aaron responsible?"_ asked Satan in a hoarse voice still half asleep.

" _Because he caught her stealing chocolates in the kitchen but instead of stopping her, he indulged Claire's habit for eating too many sweets."_

" _I can help her. An upset stomach is not a big deal for me,"_ told Satan eager to help.

" _No, Miss Drummond. Maybe this episode will prevent Claire from stealing chocolates from other children,"_ the bird concluded in such a tone, that everybody understood the decision was made.

" _OK, as you wish. You will waste at least three days instead of giving me two minutes to heal her,"_ Satan tried to reason the woman but in vain. Miss Peregrine looked grim. She told the girl to stay in bed and have a lie-in if she didn't want to sleep anymore and went after Bronwyn to see how Claire was doing.

Her smallest charge was lying in bed in a pose of an embryo with her small hands on her belly and crying silently.

" _Good morning, Claire,"_ greeted Miss Peregrine kissing the child in the forehead to see the temperature. Claire had a fever that was predictable at this stage. _"Do you feel dizzy, little one?"_

" _Yes, and sick and my tummy aches,"_ she moaned.

" _Fine, let's go with me."_ She took the child in her arms and went to her room telling Bronwyn to get back in her bed.

Miss Peregrine came into the bathroom passing Satan, who was lying in bed but didn't say anything when the ymbryne brought Claire into the room. Satan heard the sound of a spoon hitting the glass, probably Claire's drank something because after that she heard the sound of someone vomiting and weeping.

" _Fine, Miss Densmore. Now you are on a diet but first let's put some cold wet cloth on your forehead,"_ said the woman coming out with the child still in her arms.

She put the girl next to Satan on the bed forgetting completely about her healing power. Satan immediately clasped her long fingers over Clare's small hand. The little girl startled a bit by the touch but in a second warmth spread through her whole small form and she relaxed. While Claire was in some dreamy world of happy and wonderful memories that she has ever seen in her long life of 75 years next to Miss Peregrine, even if she still was a 5 year old girl, Satan's mind went into the darkest corner of Claire's soul where she saw those ugly days of this little princess's early childhood. The picture was horrible.

In a few seconds Satan felt pain in girl's stomach, tremendous dizziness and weakness, but the feeling changed to something worse. An old, cold house smelling of alcohol and dust came to the fore. Satan felt freezing cold, her hands were red and tingle in her fingers wouldn't stop. The child was starving. Satan was in skin of a two and half year old freezing and hungry toddler, who was standing barefoot on the dirty floor of the old brick house. It was end of autumn or maybe the first days of winter. Windows in the empty house were wide-open, cold wind blew from outside. Claire couldn't close the hopper frames. They were too heavy for a toddler. Her back mouth was coughing and she had a runny nose. The child stood in front of the huge chest trying to scratch open an enormous lock on it. She scratched her nails to blood because she knew that the food was there. She sat on the cold floor after kicking the chest in frustration and began to cry. She sobbed uncontrollably until falling asleep right on the floor in front of the chest. Even if it seemed like forever Satan broke up her touch in less than a minute because Miss Peregrine shouted at her to stop whatever she has been doing. The older girl looked at her, then at Claire. She stood up asked the woman the permission to get outside and without waiting for an answer left the room grabbing her jacket from the chair.

" _Miss Drummond!"_ She heard a worried voice of the bird but she went as fast as she could downstairs and into the garden.

" _I feel much better!"_ beamed Claire hopping on the bed.

" _I'm glad."_ She kissed her little charge on the forehead once again. The temperature was gone. _"You should thank Miss Drummond for this miraculous recovery. But still, you are grounded for a week!"_

" _May I give Satan some chocolates? I promise I won't eat them!"_

" _No, Claire. Miss Drummond needs something more sufficient than chocolates. Let's make a proper meal for breakfast. What about a pudding?"_

" _With berries and vanilla?"_ asked the girl.

" _Yes, with berries and vanilla."_

" _Yes, yes, yes!"_ exclaimed the child.

" _Fine, then if you don't want to sleep. Please, dress up while I'll take a shower. Try not to wake up Bronwyn,"_ told the ymbryne and Claire ran away to her room.

Miss Peregrine thought it was useless to go after Satan. The girl wanted to be alone, so she let her. Whatever pain she felt in Claire, she couldn't share it with anybody but herself. It was her power and her curse. The ymbryne understood it.

" _It's half past six in the morning. Why aren't you sleeping? Especially, you, Claire!"_ Aaron greeted Miss Peregrine and the girl. The latter was in an apron, she sat on the chair with a bowl from pudding liking the remaining dough from her fingers.

" _Good morning to you too, Mr. Drummond. She had a stomach ache after eating too much chocolate. Thanks to your niece, she healed her by disobeying my orders. If she is going to continue healing everyone, nothing will be left of her. Unfortunately, she doesn't listen to what I say,"_ huffed the bird taking the bowl away from a very disappointed Claire.

" _She is my niece, as well as yours. Anyway, where is she?"_ Mr. Drummond reminded the ymbryne about her relationship to Satan.

" _On the swings, in the yard,"_ told Miss Peregrine pointing at the window with the spoon.

Mr. Drummond approached the child, who was sitting on the swings and staring bluntly into the opening in the trees.

" _Morning, Sat. What's the point in sitting on the swings but not swinging?"_ He asked coming closer and touching the chains to sway the girl a little.

" _Morning. I don't want to. I feel dizzy,"_ she said stopping the man by pressing her foot to the ground.

" _Listen, Sat. You can't help everybody. It's not the first time Claire ate too much chocolate. I guess Alma knows what to do in this case. You don't need to cure every minor disease they have."_ He looked at girl's tired face. He could tell she has been crying.

" _Do you know what happened to Claire?"_ She glared up at him.

" _Will you tell me?"_

" _I can't say. She was freezing and hungry, and scared to death, always sick and coughing. She couldn't pronounce a word and couldn't ask for help. Somebody closed her in a cold room. They locked food in a huge chest for her not to get it. They wanted her to starve, can you imagine?"_ The last sentence Satan pronounced with tears in her dark eyes.

" _You know, five minutes ago I saw that little girl in the kitchen with the best mother in the world. I didn't notice that she was starving. Just a usual happy five year old kid in a pretty dress, very clean and tidy, she was chirping about some delicious breakfast they were making."_

" _So, what?"_

He brushed away some tears from girl's face with his huge palm.

" _The past is the past. We can't change it. The present is all that matters. All these kids have a story to tell. Most of these stories you won't like, but now they have a home. They live together and sometimes probably have their arguments and quarrels but they like each other and they have the most wonderful parent in the world, who takes care of them each single day from dawn till midnight, because she cares. This is their present, no matter what happened to them in the past."_

" _That's why they tolerate me?"_

" _These kids live here for more than 75 years already. You are a newbie. Someone they don't know and would like to learn more about."_

" _Is Claire older than I am?"_ the child was stunned to reveal such information.

" _Yes, she is but here, she's a five year old and she has the brain of a five year old child."_

" _If I live here, I'll never become older?"_

" _No, orca. But if you go out of the loop, you will get older in no time. Unfortunately, with the brains of a nine-year old child,"_ the man explained.

" _If they go out, everyone will die?"_

" _Yes."_

" _Including Miss Peregrine?"_

" _No, she will be the same age as here but our time will elder her year after year. As people get older, so she will be."_ He pronounced it with regret. Mr. Drummond knew Alma as a teenage girl, who was attacked by her own brother. She became his daughter's best friend lately. He could have never believed if somebody told him, that this woman would mean more to him than just being an aunt of this strange creature on the swings. But he loved both of them and would try to protect them no matter what.

" _When are you going to finish my room?"_

" _In a week or so,"_ was the answer.

She sighed and then nodded standing up from the swings and going back to Miss Peregrine's room, there Satan lay down and fell asleep.

The ymbryne forbade anybody to wake up the girl. So, Satan skipped breakfast where Miss Peregrine asked children to think of a name for the girl. Everyone was discussing this topic whole day long, while the girl was peacefully sleeping.

" _Hey, I think it's time to stop pretending to be a log!"_ Karen kissed Satan on the cheek. _"If you don't stand up right now, I'll tickle you to death!"_

" _I don't want anything. Leave me alone!"_ grumbled the child.

" _No, it's 5 p.m. and everyone is waiting for you, because you have to pick up a name. Come on, Sat. I won't tell you twice,"_ warned the blonde woman.

Children gathered in the living room together with Mr. Wallace, Mr. Chadwick, Aaron and Miss Peregrine. Karen managed to dress up Satan in a pair of jeans and a shirt because the girl refused to put on a smart dress the woman bought special for her. Besides, a skeleton in a flowery dress looked quite weird.

" _Alright, orca. Here are thirteen names that children and Miss Peregrine chose for you."_ Mr. Drummond showed Satan a white sack made of some cotton fabric which he held in his hand. _"You can take out three and decide which one you like more."_

" _No, I don't agree. The first I pick up will be my first name and the second will be an additional one. This will be fair."_

" _As you wish, my lady."_ The man teased her.

The child took out a small scroll of paper, unrolled it and read: _"Eva. Hm, like a robot in a WALL-e."_ She chuckled.

Children in the room didn't get the joke but the newcomers smiled at the remark made.

" _Mavis,"_ pronounced Satan the second name. _"I have no idea if it exists, but fine."_

" _This means a small song bird,"_ said Emma.

" _Eva Mavis Drummond,"_ said Satan aloud to taste the words on her tongue. _"I like it."_

" _Great, Sat…"_ the man stopped for a moment, _"I mean Eva. I hope Karen will make it official until we leave."_

" _Yeah, tomorrow I'll take care of it,"_ replied Karen.

" _Wonderful. Now I think we can have our dinner."_ Miss Peregrine invited everyone to the dining room where the table was already laid.

" _So, your name was Mavis, right?"_ asked Jake sitting next to Emma.

" _Correct."_

" _Who named her Eva, then?"_

" _I don't know, probably Fiona, because I haven't heard this name from anybody,"_ told Emma putting herself some vegetable salad.

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _ **By the way, Claire's story is based on a true one. It's a story of my friend's mother who was neglected by her parents. Until the age of 4 she couldn't talk when one day a passer-by noticed her dirty, hungry and without proper clothes in the winter outside in the street. He adopted her. Right now she is happily married with 5 children and 3 grandchildren. Sometimes strangers can be better than biological parents.**_


	14. Chapter 14

**The Thirteenth**

 **Part 14**

Children went to sleep. Miss Peregrine was sitting outside on the swings made by Mr. Wallace. She enjoyed the murmur of the rain on the roof of the alcove. The day was peaceful and happy, even if Alma was grumpy because of Claire's misbehavior, in the end she was proud of her smallest charge. Especially, when everyone gathered in the living room to watch Horace's dream, which was very funny this time. Claire shared a chocolate given to her by the ymbryne with Eva. The other girl refused to take it, so instead of eating the sweet, Claire gave it to Bronwyn, who also liked chocolates. That little event amused Alma a bit. At last her children accepted the newcomer, whom she began to like more and more, no matter what Aaron said about Eva.

" _You know, it has been proven that smoking can lead to cancer,"_ said Mr. Drummond sitting next to the ymbryne on the swings. She was smoking her pipe as usual.

" _I've been living one and the same day over and over again for more than 75 years. May I have at least something which is mine and only,"_ she retorted looking somewhere far away but not at him.

" _I don't want these children to remain without their ymbryne,"_ he said rocking on the swings.

" _If I had anything like cancer, your niece would have already tried to treat the disease. The same as she has done to Claire today."_

" _By the way, you chose a nice name for her. How do you feel about it?"_ Aaron understood that it was a small chance for Satan to take out a piece of paper thrown by Alma in the sack. Nevertheless, it happened.

" _How can you be so sure it was I who named her?"_ She asked suspiciously trying to see his face in the dim light of the pipe.

" _I will never mix up your uneven birdy scribble with any other handwriting. Even the twins write much better."_ He teased her.

" _You've read the names?!"_

" _Why not? Karen collected them. I didn't take part in the game, but I wanted to see what other crazy things your kids can come up with. For instance, Enoch wrote "Medusa". You know the one from the Greek mythology. She turned people into a stone. I can't blame him, Satan's appearance can make any sober person go insane."_ He chuckled, imagining Eva in his mind.

" _Her name is Eva."_

" _An ancestress of human kind and the first sinner. A very appealing name for a girl, I guess. Quite a thoughtful choice, as she is both a devil and an angel at the same time with her healing power and killing abilities when she forgets who she is for a couple of days."_ The man thought aloud.

"' _Eva' means 'a living one'. My brother became a wight. Wights can't have children but she's an exception. Besides, Catherine also gave her a name from the Bible, why shouldn't I?"_ The ymbryne wanted to prove she was right.

" _Eva is a beautiful name. How do you feel after naming a child? It was an unforgettable moment in my life when Karen was born. I wanted to name her Siobhan but Andrea disagreed. That's why, she's Karen."_ He confessed smiling while reminiscing the day his daughter was born.

" _This girl is unique like any of my children. I love all of them the same. She deserved a better name than that curse,"_ concluded Alma blowing a cloud of smoke into the night.

" _Where did you find Claire?"_

" _Why do you ask?"_

" _While healing Eva sees the essence of the problem, not just the pain, that could be the consequence but every bad thing that might have caused this pain. So, what happened to this jolly happy chocolate thief."_

" _It was the end of November. Emma, Victor, Bronwyn, Millard and Enoch have already been living with me for some years. I flew to Ireland as Mrs. Stork was ill and I had to recharge her loop because she was unable to do that. I was flying above a village in the north where I saw a woman beating a toddler in the yard. The child barely had any clothes on her and it began snowing. She was attenuated by hunger the same as Eva now."_ Miss Peregrine inhaled some more smoke as if this memory was too painful to remember.

" _Eva hadn't been starving. Hollows took all her energy away when she healed them. It's a curse because she can't control it. The moment somebody touches her, Eva shares her energy with a person or a creature. The same she can't control her behavior every 13_ _th_ _day of the month which could last for some days."_

" _Yes, I remember, but Claire looked like a skeleton like Eva only with some symptoms of rickets. She had very thin limbs but a big belly. Her mother swore hard and slapped her calling Claire a bastard, an abomination, a thug, a misfit and many other 'pretty nick names' that came into her drunk head. I jumped at the woman and scared her to death trying to rip away her eyes. What else could I have done in a form of a bird?"_ She chuckled at the memories of a crying woman and her bloody face. _"That's when I noticed Claire's back mouth coughing. I flew back to fulfill my duties with only one hope that this little girl would be able to survive one more night. I returned to my loop, recharged it and went out again. It took me three days to arrange everything. I needed to evaluate time and distance, find a place to leave necessary clothes for me and Claire. I've booked the fastest boat to bring her home in time until the closure of the loop or I would have lost other children. In these three days I flew through the open window of the old house where Claire was locked in and brought her food."_

" _You saved her, Alma. I'm very proud of you. Catherine did the same for you but your brother took away her soul. She became a shell of herself after he tortured her. I'll be grateful, if you tell Eva Claire's story. She has to know that there could be also a happy end."_

" _Yeah, that's why you are building a cell for her?"_ She asked and sighed too worried about her new charge.

" _I want to protect all of you from her alter ego. But in general, I understand why Claire's story surprised Eva so much. Her life was not much better than your little girl's."_

" _Tell me Catherine sent her to an asylum?"_

" _I don't know. Kate has disappeared for three years. We had a big argument because of her educational methods. She took Satan. I mean Eva and ran away. I thought I've lost both of them. A few months ago I received a message from her, where she asked me to take care of Eva. Later, I found out that Kate was dead as she had predicted in the video I received. I won't forgive myself, if I lose someone else from my family."_

" _Yes, of course. Still, I wish Catherine had been with her daughter right now."_ Alma stood up from the swings and went back to the house.

In the morning Eva was lying in bed trying not to wake up the woman.

" _Why don't you sleep? It's half past five!"_ A hoarse voice of the ymbryne sounded in the room.

" _I'm sorry. I don't want to sleep anymore,"_ the child apologized.

" _What were you thinking about?"_ asked Miss Peregrine glaring at the girl who was lying on her back staring at the ceiling with her black hollow eyes.

" _Nothing,"_ she responded.

" _Liar. You have been lying without a stir for almost 10 minutes. Definitely, there is something in your mind."_

" _May I go swimming today?"_

" _Eva, you're barely walking. How far can you swim in this condition?"_

" _Is it a 'yes' or a 'no'?"_

" _Guess."_

" _My mom would say 'do as you wish'. It meant that I'm responsible for myself. Probably, the place we were in was safe. If she locked me in the room or shouted at me, that was square 'no',"_ explained the child not moving her eyes from the ceiling.

" _We may go after breakfast,"_ said the ymbryne as a matter of fact. _"What did you see yesterday, when you healed Claire?"_ The question came unexpected, so Eva turned to look the woman in the eyes.

" _I can't say I see that. I have the same feeling of the patient's pain, so to say."_

" _Yesterday you felt more than stomach ache caused by overeating,"_ Miss Peregrine sounded too serious in order to deflect.

" _Claire was a helpless toddler starving and very ill. She was coughing and shivering while her mother beat the tar out of her. The house was too cold and her legs and arms froze. It was too painful. She cried and cried for hours until falling asleep on the floor because she couldn't get outside. The door was closed but all the windows were open. My mother had never tortured me like that."_ The girl confessed. _"Who brought her here?"_

" _I did,"_ told Miss Peregrine with a deep sigh. _"Her mother hadn't been at home when I came. I left her a note. I found Claire on the floor in the room. She had fever and was delirious. The doctor said it was pneumonia together with measles. Poor Emma also was suffering from measles after that. Claire spent one month in bed, weeping, scratching rash and whining. After that I had to close the kitchen and the fridge for three months because she ate everything she saw. She became really hysterical if someone touched her food or prevented her from eating all the fruits and vegetables in the garden. One year later Claire started pronouncing some words because I took her and Bronwyn out of the loop from time to time for them to grow up a little as it was too hard to have two toddlers in the house. When she understood that nobody's going to do her any harm, her character changed a bit. Now I have a small five year old with pretty blonde locks and a charming smile on both of her mouths."_

" _Did her mother look for her?"_ asked the girl.

" _No, never. I visited her from time to time until her death. She gave birth to four more children."_ Miss Peregrine missed the fact that all of them were from different fathers. _"She didn't treat them well either but at least she didn't hide them away like Claire. People from the village helped those kids. Unfortunately, two of them died after bombing."_

" _I'm so sorry."_

" _It's life. You saw a bomb that every single day drops on the roof of our house. The war is ugly. It took millions of lives. But I'll make sure all my children are safe and happy."_ She smiled at the girl. _"Promise me one thing, Eva."_

" _What?"_

" _You will never touch me."_

" _Why?"_

" _I don't want you to feel my pain."_

" _No, you are afraid not of that. You are afraid that I see who caused it. I already know it was my father."_

" _Promise that you will never ever touch me,"_ repeated Miss Peregrine seriously.

" _I can't promise that. Karen says, you shouldn't promise what you are not able to do."_

" _Why can't you promise that?"_

" _I'm living in the same house with you, silly. How may I not touch you by an accident? For instance, you can ask me to pass a salt-cellar or I can brush my hand against yours when walking through a doorway,"_ She explained to the woman in detail like to a three year old.

" _Fine, I will always wear gloves then,"_ stated Miss Peregrine glaring at the child.

" _Really? How can they help you?"_ With these words Eva playfully took her hand out of the blanket to touch Miss Peregrine's face. The woman jumped out from the bed while the girl was giggling.

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _ **I'm back and ready for more feedback on the story.**_


	15. Chapter 15

**The Thirteenth**

 **Part 15**

Very attentively Eva listened to a short but quite detailed lecture of a good behavior given by an extremely irritated ymbryne, who hasn't had a proper sleep for days now. With a huff Miss Peregrine went to the bathroom to take a shower, while Eva stood up and put on her hoodie and jeans to go outside as she was wide awake and didn't want to go back to sleep.

During breakfast the other kids supported the idea to go swimming and quickly ran away to their rooms to prepare the necessary swimming gear. It should be mentioned that modern materials in the loop changed into something appropriate for the time. That's why Eva's printed lycra leggings turned into cotton pants which she could put on with an effort even with her skeleton form. So, it was of no use to buy some new clothes in modern time as fabric turned into an appropriate material of the year 1943 only the style of the cloth would remain the same. Millard and Hugh took flippers and masks for snorkeling. Fiona and Olive each had a book in their hands. Enoch grabbed some jars for animal hearts he hoped he could get. Bronwyn and Claire had small metal buckets with spades and some sand molds. Jacob also got flippers. Emma was going to spend more time in the water. She just put on her light blue bathing suit, took a bag with towels for their company, Olive had the same bag. Jake and Enoch also carried three umbrellas each plus a bag with sandwiches. Miss Peregrine in her black one piece swimsuit of 1943 and an enormous bag with beach mates and sun-cream appeared on the path of the garden with the twins wearing brown leather masks that covered their faces completely. The boys carried lifebuoy rings in one hand while the other one was in each of Miss Peregrine's hand. Seeing this picture Mr. Drummond couldn't continue his work anymore. He offered his skills as a photographer and went together with children to take their photos on the beach.

Eva was wearing a modern white one piece swimsuit with some splashes of bright colors on it. The stripes were thin, so they didn't harm her gills and the open back revealed a dorsal fin that sprung right from the backbone. It was nearly transparent if not for the protruded bones which could be clearly seen. The most amazing thing was that the fin could be hidden into the backbone. The only reminder of it was a long cut along Eva's spinal cord. After a photo session Mr. Drummond called Eva before going back to work while some kids ran into the sea and older ones helped Miss Peregrine to install the umbrellas, lay down the mats and apply sun cream to everyone even those who wanted to run away immediately.

" _Ok, orca. You have to be a good girl. No more than a mile from the coastline. You won't dive more than 50 meters and I want you to be back on shore in an hour. If not, the rest of your life here you'll spend in a bath-tube,"_ the man warned the child who was eager to get into water.

" _Fine, I got it."_ She turned to run off but Aaron grabbed her arm in a very impolite way.

" _Look at me and say that you promise because if you get lost, I won't arrange a search expedition to search for you. I'm not joking. You can get lost forever in time and space. Nobody knows how far could be these loop. The distance varies for 200 miles radius to whoever knows how many. Nobody can predict what might happen at the brink of the loop. So, be a wise girl and come back in one hour. Promise?"_

" _Yes, uncle Aaron. I promise."_ She nodded and went to the sea.

" _Alma, if Eva doesn't come back in an hour, don't worry for her. It's her choice. In water she is responsible for herself. Nobody can swim as deep and fast as Eva. If she is lost, don't blame yourself. She is not a five year old."_ He told Miss Peregrine and went back to work.

Now Alma understood the danger. Eva could breathe under water. The child could spend there hours and even days catching and eating raw fish. There was no one who could watch or control her. Eva's previous behavior proved that Miss Peregrine wasn't a person whom she respected. So, if the child wanted to run away, she could simply do it by going into the open sea. The ymbryne looked worriedly at the girl who was already standing in the water and the waves splashed over her naked knees. Eva went further and finally disappeared from the surface. Miss Peregrine kneeled beside Fiona to apply some sun cream on girl's back.

" _Fiona, you look paler than usually. How do you feel?"_

" _I'm fine."_ The girl shrugged her thin shoulders.

" _When you came to live in this loop, you promised you won't have secrets from me."_ Miss Peregrine watched the reaction of the child attentively.

Fiona took a deep breath and looked down.

" _So, young lady. Tell me what's going on?"_ The ymbryne insisted but gently. She knew how sensitive Fiona was and every time tried to be gentler with her sometimes much gentler than with Claire.

" _I have pains in the chest from time to time. But they go away quickly,"_ She tried to sound reassuringly.

" _Does it hurt on the left side of the chest?"_

" _How did you know?"_

" _It's my job to know everything about my children,"_ she gave the child the warmest smile ever. _"When we come home, I'll call the doctor. We must take care of this tiny problem."_ Though, she was sure that wasn't a tiny problem at all. _"Fiona, you've been too silent since Eva arrived. Are you still afraid of her?"_

" _It's stupid, I know. But her eyes are like Victor's after his death. They are cold and…"_ She couldn't finish the idea.

" _And dead,"_ Miss Peregrine finished for Fiona, _"yes, it is unusual and strange. Together with those sharp wight's teeth no wonder her own mother gave her such a devilish name. However, we shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Eva is a kind-hearted and sensitive child like you are. I think you can get along very well. You are playing with the twins but these boys are more dangerous than Eva. I can ask her to wear sun glasses, but it will be impolite, I guess."_

" _No, don't do that. I get used to her."_ She smiled a small smile and Miss Peregrine kissed her on the forehead.

" _Let's go, Millard! Everybody is already in the water even Horace!"_ said Hugh to his friend.

" _What's the point? In these swimming trunks I can't play any tricks because everybody will see me!"_ He replied grumpily.

" _We were going to snorkel, remember?"_

" _What haven't I seen there? Crabs and fish all the same and at the same places,"_ came the answer. _"Now with this killer whale in the sea I'm not sure I want to get in the water."_

" _Why?"_

" _If I see those dead hollows staring at me, I die from a heart attack!"_ He grumbled.

Hugh grinned.

" _Let's hunt for a killer whale. Olive has to monitor the youngest. Emma and Jake are going to dive. Enoch will be looking for fish hearts and lizards. Horace are giving swimming lessons to the twins under supervision of Miss P. We can take Fiona and go after that Moby-Dick."_

" _Moby-Dick?"_ chuckled Millard _, "Why not?"_ He jumped to his feet and they went to ask Fiona if she was eager to play with them.

" _Fiona, no strenuous physical activity, you may go swimming but very slowly,"_ warned Miss Peregrine when two boys approached them.

" _Of course, Miss P.,"_ she followed her friends to the sea.

" _Hugh, you are insane, if you think you can catch a fish,"_ Fiona told the boy on their way to the sea.

" _She is not fish!"_ Millard disagreed.

" _She has gills and a fin. Her hands and feet are also adapted to swimming. Can you breathe underwater for hours?"_ The girl wanted to reason these two for not doing stupid things.

" _Hey, she doesn't know we are going for a hunt. The first who catches her, is the winner. The method the person does it, doesn't matter. You can even persuade her to go on shore,"_ proposed Hugh.

" _Ok, I'm in,"_ said Millard.

" _Me too,"_ agreed Fiona. _"Has anybody seen her?"_

While these three were searching for Eva in the sea and on the beach for half an hour, Eva swam far away from the buoys that were placed to mark the line for swimmers. The sea behind this line was too deep and nasty for any ordinary human being. Miss Peregrine was monitoring the surface of the water but didn't see the child anywhere. Jake and Emma went diving but she let them do that, as Miss Peregrine was sure in Emma's abilities to control air under water. The teenager was a sensible young woman and Jake also proved to be a reliable and trustworthy young man. The ymbryne paid her attention to the twin who tried to paddle with his arms and legs while Miss Peregrine was holding him under his torso, but Joseph just splashed water around himself and the woman. Horace also didn't have much success with Thomas. Nevertheless, neither of the instructors gave up. Bronwyn and Claire were jumping on the shore over the waves. When the wave came, they jumped over it and ran after it when it went back into the sea. Olive was sitting under the umbrella casting a glance at the young girls from time to time because the plot of the book she was reading captured her mind.

" _You were right, Fiona. We have been everywhere we could swim along the beach. There is no trace of Eva. Miss P. will make a hamburger out of her,"_ said Hugh competently.

" _Yeah, we have been swimming along the beach for a long time. How about having a rest on our rock?"_ Millard proposed.

" _Yes, why not,"_ said Fiona making some swimming movements to stay afloat.

" _The first who climbs the rock is the king of the hill!"_ Exclaimed Millard and darted away.

A huge rock was protruding from the sea a little bit further than the line of the buoys. Sometimes kids ran away and swam to the rock, to prove that they could do that and to see the view from it. It was an enormous grey stone rock that came out of the water. It had a form of a puffy cloud and was the nearest and the smallest rock to the shore from other three giants. It was probably 100 feet in diameter and had a flat surface on the top, where they liked to lie in the sun after a long swim.

Fifteen feet separated Millard from his target when suddenly somebody pulled his leg. He wouldn't have been so startled if the person had been Fiona or Hugh, but they were at least 12 feet behind him. Besides, this creature pulled him down under the water. The frightened boy jerked his leg out of somebody's sticky grip and shrieked as a wounded animal coming back to the surface. He stopped in panic to see the surroundings.

" _You squeal like a damsel in distress!"_ giggled Eva appearing right in front of the invisible boy.

" _You're a moron!"_ He shouted at her angrily. _"I could have drowned!"_

" _I pulled just a little. It was a joke!"_ Eva made excuses offended by Millard's words.

" _A stupid one!"_ He hissed. _"Go to Miss Peregrine, she asked about you!"_ He lied because he wanted to get rid of her.

" _I'm the king of the hill!"_ cried Fiona climbing on the rock before Hugh did.

She always competed with the boys trying to prove that she could be a tomboy and be a match for them. At the same time the wind carried Millard's shriek to the beach. It alarmed the ymbryne who immediately spotted her small charges too far away from the place they were permitted to swim and raised one eyebrow that definitely meant trouble for the company.

 _ **To be continued…**_


	16. Chapter 16

**The Thirteenth**

 **Part 16**

Miss Peregrine was ready to shout for Eva to come back immediately to the shore but realized that the children were too far away to hear her as the wind was blowing from the sea right into her face.

" _Horace, look after the twins. I'll take the boat and bring that happy company back,"_ she made a gesture by her head to the rock protruding from the sea.

" _Of course, Miss P."_ The boy nodded putting the buoy ring over Tom's shoulder for the little boy to get inside it. Miss Peregrine did the same with Joseph and the two twins sighed in relief as they were already tired of paddling without moving anywhere. They screeched something in their own language which Horace couldn't get but the ymbryne caught it quite well.

" _Yes, you are right. Swimming for these four ended for today and the rest of the week,"_ she agreed with the boys and went to take the boat which was on the beach 50 feet away.

Bronwyn and Claire were giggling and splashing water over Olive, who was also in the water splashing it back at the mischiefs.

Hugh, Millard and Eva climbed on the top of the rock. Fiona was sitting on the edge of the stone looking down at the waves crushing over it. They didn't see the ymbryne as they were watching the open sea. The boys didn't enjoy the idea of the stranger following their steps, especially, Millard who was humiliated of being attacked by Eva in the water, when they wanted to capture the girl. The amphibian child retracted her spinal fin into the backbone but it was the only thing she could do to her demonic appearance with black eyes, wight's teeth, membranous hands and gills. Since she has been living on the island for a short period of time, Eva hasn't put any weight. So, unhealthily skinny body with extremely thin legs and arms made her appearance even more abominable as if a living-dead was approaching Fiona.

" _What don't you understand in a sentence that the bird asked for you to come ashore?"_ asked Hugh in irritation.

" _Has one hour already passed? Uncle Aaron said I could swim for an hour,"_ told Eva stubbornly because she had no intention of going back yet.

" _Do you see any watch on me?"_ He retorted.

" _If you two don't want to play with me, it doesn't mean that Fiona refuses it too,"_ pouted the child. She understood quite well, though, that neither of them was eager to include her in their team.

Fiona was sitting at the edge of the rock looking down when something happened. Her body bended to the side and she fell from the rock as a doll without any sound or movement. Millard and Hugh screamed her name in unison and ran towards the edge to see where their friend was, while Eva jumped into the waves without any hesitation. Miss Peregrine with her falcon eyes saw everything well enough for her ymbryne's heart to nearly die within her. She ran her motorboat as fast as she could to the place of the accident. The boys ran down the rock to help Eva and Fiona, who seemed to disappear under the surface forever. The rock was too high to jump from it without being injured but Eva must have been a lucky one.

The amphibian child didn't search for long as she spotted the fair haired girl going down without putting up a fight. Eva swam to the unconscious drowning form and took her to the surface. The moment she touched Fiona's bare skin was a revelation of pain, sorrow and grievous farewells the ten year old experienced during her short but full of adventures life. Orca tried not to pay attention to the pain. Her goal was to take the child out of water because Fiona didn't have gills.

" _Stay on the rock!"_ The angry voice of the ymbryne came from afar. Alma was too far to step in to save the situation.

Eva had to swim around the rock because she couldn't get Fiona's body on it from the side she fell from. The more Eva touched the other girl the less energy remained in her, the more painful it became.

" _Millard, please, take her,"_ She spoke in a low voice too tired to carry Fiona to the safety.

The boy jumped into the water, grabbed his friend and Eva unclasped her arms from around Fiona's body going underwater. Hugh swam to help Millard when finally Miss Peregrine came to the place.

" _Miss P., Eva went down. I think something bad happened to her,"_ Millard sounded too scared not to trust him.

The ymbryne helped the two take Fiona on board and dived into the sea. The boys got into the boat and stared down on water trying to notice anything in the deep. Alma went deeper and deeper until her eyes spotted a thin cloud of something red dispersed in the water. She looked deeper down and saw the child. The woman couldn't say if the girl saw her or not because Eva's eyes were open but she didn't make any moves to try and stop that free falling. Alma took her by the straps of the swimming suit and went up.

" _Boys, take her into the boat!"_ She commanded her charges the minute she took a deep breath after a long dive.

Millard and Hugh dragged Eva into the boat. Fiona also helped them as she finally came round.

" _Fiona, don't touch her!"_ ordered Miss Peregrine getting on board.

" _I just wanted to help,"_ said the girl quite confused by the ymbryne's tone.

" _You are ill. The more you touch Eva the better you get but she gets worse,"_ explained the woman calming down a bit not to scary the children.

" _Is she hurt?"_ asked Millard. _"Look, she's covered in blood."_

Eva's body was really covered in tiny drops of blood which became bigger and bigger. The child blinked and very slowly turned to the board of the boat. Alma thought Eva wanted to jump back in the water.

" _No, Eva. Stop! Hugh, stop her. I can't touch,"_ told the ymbryne starting the engine.

But the girl leaned over the board and vomited something black and swampy into the sea. Hugh waited for the girl to get rid of that disgusting substance in her stomach and very gently helped her to sit back on the floor of the boat. Eva closed her eyes and two big bloody tears ran down her cheeks.

" _I'm so sorry,"_ Fiona was ready to start crying too.

" _Fiona, it looks scary but nobody is going to die. I promise,"_ said the bird too worried to sound convincing enough, especially, at what they were witnessing at the moment. Eva was sweating blood from pores on her skin. Her white swimming suit with some splashes of colors turned into dirty red one.

By the time they reached the beach, Eva was unconsciously lying down on the bottom of the boat. Millard brought the towel in which Alma wrapped the child and lifted on her arms. The girl wasn't as small as Claire or even Bronwyn but Eva weighted the same as any of the twins. It was too little for her age and height.

" _Horace, find Enoch. Collect everything, we're coming back home. Olive gather the little ones out of water, scrub them with towels and collect all of their things. Millard, Hugh and Fiona, you help Olive and Horace."_

Without putting on her sandshoes or taking care that she was still soaking wet, Miss Peregrine rushed back to the house as the child in her arms lost more and more blood.

" _A-a-a-r-r-o-o-n!"_ came a desperate scream from outside.

Mr. Drummond left everything he was doing and ran upstairs from the vault followed by Mr. Chadwick and Mr. Wallace. He didn't need any explanation because the blood dripped down on the path to the house. He ran to Alma and took the girl on his arms.

" _I don't know what to do! How to stop this!"_ The bird whispered confused as if she was a toddler. Her long wet black locks tumbled down on her shoulders. The fearful ymbryne was trembling with eyes full of tears.

" _I need epinephrine and an IV drip with vitamins, do you have it?"_ He said on his way inside the house. Miss Peregrine was limping fast after the man.

" _Yes, one moment."_

Ignoring each second step on the staircase the ymbryne rushed up to her room, opened an installed case in her bathroom and took everything that was necessary. Mr. Drummond put the girl on the floor in the girl's bathroom because there was no use of taking her somewhere else. The tile on the floor would be easier to wash afterwards. He took the syringe which Alma has already boiled on the stove to disinfect it. It was 1943, so the modern syringes were not functional here. The man made an injection of epinephrine and the child opened her eyes.

" _Orca, look at me! Drink this!"_

Eva wanted to brush the glass away with her hand but was too weak to do that.

" _Drink! You must vomit everything negative that you took from Fiona!"_ He said strictly and made the girl drink a glass of extremely salty water. The child vomited some disgusting swampy black liquid again. She cried in pain and vomited some more liquid but at least the bleeding stopped.

" _Can we put her in your bathtub?"_

" _Yes, of course,"_ told Alma wiping away the blood from child's body with a wet cloth.

Mr. Drummond took Eva upstairs, carefully laid her in the bathtub and poured the water from the shower to wash away the rest of the blood. The water turned red. He put Eva on a drip and when the water became clearer, he started filling in the bath.

" _Sleep!"_ he said softly when the water covered girl's face. Her gills started working spraying the black liquid at first but then it dissolved into the water.

The adults left the bathroom and Alma sat tiredly on the edge of her bed. Only now she realized that she was still barefoot and in her swimming suit. Her hands were shaking. She couldn't remind herself the time when she felt so helpless before. The woman buried her face in hands and began sobbing. Aaron sat beside her and very gently gave her hair a smooth.

" _Alma, to kill an immortal you have to behead him. She would suffer for weeks now but in the end she'll be fine."_ He hugged her with one arm making the woman lean her head on his shoulder.

" _It was my fault! I should have monitored them better!"_

" _You have 13 kids. I had to take care of only two and I failed. So, you are managing them much better."_

" _Did your son..?"_ She looked up at him.

" _Patrick is dead but his children are still alive and their children and my gran-grandchildren also. Now they have their own pride. They protect each other. My responsibility is Karen and her son and, of course, that little monster in the bathtub."_ He smiled thinking of Eva.

" _I'm so sorry for your loss,"_ she expressed her condolences.

" _Nearly 43 years have passed since Patrick's death. He was avenged. To be an immortal means to see lots of deaths. I guess I'll never get used to it. That's why I'm proud of who you became, Alma."_

He kissed her on the forehead, stood up and left the room. The ymbryne sat there for a minute or two recollecting herself. Then she took her usual clothes and went downstairs into the girl's bathroom to be prepared for the return of her 12 alive and quite happy children.

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _ **Thank you for reading the story. Please, send your reviews. I'm always looking forward to reading them.**_


	17. Chapter 17

**The Thirteenth**

 **Part 17**

Some children were in their rooms reading books, little ones were outside with Emma drawing some pictures. Enoch and Jake were helping Mr. Drummond and their guests with the vault. Miss Peregrine with Fiona cooked something delicious in the kitchen. What got Karen's attention when she came to the loop that children were doing everything silently or whispering to each other.

" _What a stony silence, did anybody die?"_ asked the blonde woman approaching the vault to see how much they managed to fulfill until now.

" _Nearly!"_ came the answer from Enoch, _"actually, it's your cousin, who wanted to play Mother Mary today and now is at a brink of death."_

" _Whom did she try to cure this time?"_ asked Karen nonchalantly.

" _Fiona. It seems she was fatally ill,"_ said Enoch.

" _Hello, sweetheart."_ Mr. Drummond greeted his daughter and kissed her on the forehead. " _Hi, dad. The documents will be done in three days. Where is orca?"_

" _In Alma's bathroom. I don't think she recovers until we leave. I sent Mr. Wallace to the land. He'll buy all the necessary medicine of this time because nothing modern is working here properly,"_ the last words he pronounced in annoyance.

" _At least I'll bring Alma the new docs on Eva until our departure. Does she suffer as that time when she healed Catherine from the werewolves attack?"_

" _No, she hasn't been screaming of pain yet, if you are about that. She's in that comatose state when she would be sleeping for a month. Alma should take care of vitamin drips or Eva will turn into a handicap because of malnutrition."_ He explained.

" _Maybe it's better to bring her back in 2017?"_ Proposed Karen worried about her little cousin but in a second regretting about that thought.

" _Is everything fine and you didn't see anybody suspicious on the island?"_ Aaron retorted.

" _For now, it's fine. Henry called today. He saw a wight sneaking about the place at the Jeffersonian university in the USA where Mr. Chadwick gave a lecture but in general, everything's silent."_ She reported.

" _Mr. Chadwick and Mr. Wallace are leaving tomorrow. I'll finish the work with these lads,"_ he nodded at Jake and Enoch. _"We are leaving in three days when the documents will be ready."_

She nodded and went to see what Alma was preparing for supper.

" _May I go?"_ Fiona enquired for the permission to leave the kitchen.

" _Yes, Fiona. Thank you."_ The ymbryne let the girl go.

" _Good afternoon, Alma. You look paler than usual,"_ Karen greeted her friend in the Drummonds' usual manner of articulating what they thought about the people around them.

" _Whom are you going to cheat, Karen? My make-up is perfect as well as my clothes and expression,"_ Miss Peregrine's lips cracked into an artificial smile.

" _Uh-hu, but your hands are still shaking,"_ the blonde woman took an apple from the plate with fruit and took a bite.

" _I freaked out, I admit it,"_ Alma put a tray with the pie in the oven. _"I have never seen a person bleed through her skin."_

" _Everyone would be scared to death. When orca heals somebody she has to get rid of this disease. She may cry with bloody tears or scars could appear on her body, she could vomit some black substance, I don't even know what it is. Very rarely blood comes through her pores, she should be extremely exhausted for that effect to take place but it's not uncommon. Kate was once caught into a cross-fire and was bitten by a werewolf. She made her 5 year old child cure her. Satan. I mean Eva screamed for two weeks of an unbearable pain. Her body was covered in ugly scars from bullets and bites until one day she started sweating blood. Everybody thought she'd die, but in three weeks with good nutrition and sleep she became her happy self again. If I can say so, as I have never seen this child entirely happy."_

" _It doesn't mean that I shouldn't have supervised them better,"_ Alma still regretted of not noticing that her children went too far from the shore.

" _You shouldn't blame yourself for everything that can happen to Eva. You know, our education is different. We teach children to survive and defend themselves from the day they were born. It's not your fault, Alma."_

" _It is my fault. If not for Eva, Fiona would have drowned and maybe one of the boys. You weren't there!"_ The ymbryne hissed cursing herself for not being attentive.

" _I'm glad that everybody is alive and breathing. Eva will recover, she just needs time. Now, tell me what to do. I heard Mr. Chadwick and Mr. Wallace are leaving. Are we going to have a farewell supper today?"_

So, the ymbryne and the immortal continued preparing the most gorgeous meal they could serve.

The day went in a blink of an eye. Children were unusually calm and quiet at supper and even more depressed after they've seen Horace's nightmare, where Eva's skeleton form was lying on the beach in a puddle of blood. Claire started crying and Fiona left to her room without saying 'good night'. Miss Peregrine expressed her gratitude to the men, who have been working so hard these few days and went upstairs to calm down her little charming blonde princess. Karen helped to put the twins in bed and left with the men only to be back the next day. Everything was silent as the house went to sleep, when suddenly Alma heard a knock on her door.

" _Fiona, is everything alright?"_ asked the ymbryne tying the belt of her dressing-gown.

" _May I see, Eva?"_ the girl asked softly that Miss Peregrine couldn't quite catch at first.

" _Nothing has changed in her condition, but, yes. Come in, please."_

The child in PJ entered the room and followed Miss Peregrine to the bathroom. Eva was lying in the bathtub underwater plugged to an IV drip. Her black hair floated round her head making her pale face even more ashy-gray. Girl's eyes sunk deeper into the eye-pits. Her facial features became sharper like ones of the dead people. The ymbryne dressed Eva in a white night-gown that floated in the water. The picture was pretty scary – a drowned girl, whose chest didn't move but only dark small cuts above her clavicles burst out some tiny bubbles which quickly dispersed in the water. Eva's body became even thinner with less flesh on her bones.

" _Miss P., I'm so sorry. We were rude to her today. This is all because of me."_ Tears ran down Fiona's cheeks.

" _It's bad to be rude to strangers. I know, I always taught you not to trust strangers but she'll be living here. You should be more polite when Eva gets better."_ Still, the bird was unsure if this child can recover at all. Right now she looked more like the dead body of Victor.

" _When she gets better I promise to bring her the most beautiful flowers every day and the best fruits and vegetables to gain weight."_

" _I'm afraid you'll need to go fishing with Hugh and Millard every day as Miss Drummond prefers raw fish to anything else."_ The ymbryne smiled as she reminisced Eva and Karen's breakfast in the alcove. _"Stop crying, darling. Eva is a fighter. She needs just time which we have plenty in here."_

" _When she touched me there in the sea, I saw my mom again. We were gathering flowers in the woods and she sang me a lullaby. I didn't remember her voice, but now I remember it. The happiest moments in my life passed by while I was unconscious underwater. Then, I saw you. The day you brought me to live in the loop with others, I was ill and you sang to me the same lullaby my mom did."_ Fiona brushed away some tears from her face.

" _Really, maybe. I don't remember."_ The ymbryne sang so many songs and read so many books to her children, that she really didn't pay much attention to it.

" _Miss Peregrine, I have never thanked you for everything you've done for me."_ With these words Fiona gave Alma the most beautiful white rose with a quite timid but enchanting and at the same time the most mesmerizing scent. The rose appeared out of a seed that the girl held in her hand.

" _Fiona, you shouldn't. Thank you!"_ The woman took the rose in her soft hand. _"To tell the truth, all of you thank me every day when you help me, when you are good and polite to each other and people around you, when you laugh and even when you are naughty. I'm glad to have such wonderful children, but for today's misbehavior you three will be grounded for two weeks in a row. It was absolutely silly to go so far and to climb that rock."_

Instead of agreeing or disagreeing with the bird, Fiona hugged her.

" _I love you, Miss Peregrine,"_ whispered the child.

" _I love you too, Fiona. And don't worry about Eva, time cures everything."_ She ran her hand over girl's long hair and they stood in the room for some seconds. Then, Miss Peregrine kissed the girl on the top of her fair head and escorted Fiona to her room, where the ymbryne tucked the blanket over her little charge's body and said 'good night' to this troublesome kid.

Without thinking too much, Alma put away the lid of the jug with water for drinking and placed the rose in it too tired of today's tribulation. She left the door to her bathroom open to hear at least a splash of water if Eva comes round but the night changed into day too quickly for any changes.

" _Ah, luv!"_ Mr. Drummond greeted Karen who was amazed a bit as all the charges were sitting on the lawn in the garden examining with interest some photos. _"Come on, join us. These are the pictures I took three days ago. This one is my favorite."_

Karen sat near him right on the grass and burst out laughing.

" _Wow! Dad, even playboy would be sued for this!"_

In the picture Alma was wearing her black very elegant swimming suit of 1940s. She stood in the middle while the twins in their leather masks and swimming trunks each held her by the hand. It would have looked sweet and even naïve but leather masks on children and Alma's perfect make-up and posture gave another flavor to this innocent picture.

" _They just need to be on a leash and Alma will become a dominatrix,"_ Karen smirked looking at the other woman who was examining photos with Claire and Bronwyn. The girls were sitting near their principal.

" _Actually, neither of the kids sees anything inappropriate in this pic, even Jake and Enoch! So, I can make a conclusion that only we here are so fatally flawed,"_ he explained grinning at his daughter. _"I think I'll keep it."_

" _Nobody is going to keep anything,"_ Miss Peregrine cut him off switching the picture out of Mr. Drummond's hands.

" _Why, Alma? A very nice photo, a hot one!"_ Karen chuckled.

" _I don't give photos of my children to bloody perverts!"_

" _Jeez, Miss P.! There are kids here, you know!"_ Enoch couldn't stop himself from providing a feedback.

" _Yes, Mr. O'Connor. And some of them can turn a person into a stone, which I would have done with pleasure to somebody present here!"_ She snapped back.

" _Why are you in such "a bright mood"? It's evening already. I've brought the docs on Eva."_ Karen gave a file with the documents to the ymbryne.

" _Ask your father where he wants your cousin to live!"_ Alma took the documents and went to the house.

" _Oh, didn't she like what you've done to the vault?"_ Karen raised an eyebrow in surprise.

" _I don't care if she likes it or not. I've already brought Eva there. She's still in that lethargic condition but at least breathing air and lying in the bed or she'll turn into a mermaid."_

" _I'll go and check on her."_ Karen stood up and headed to the vault.

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _ **Like all good hobbits I have a present for my readers on my birthday. Enjoy! The description of the vault will be in another chapter**_ __


	18. Chapter 18

**The Thirteenth**

 **Part 18**

Karen went into the vault. Covering fifteen steps of the staircase downstairs she came to a massive metal door with a slit from about 7 to 4 inches. Three huge bolts were welded on the door from outside. There also was a sophisticated installed lock which could be locked from outside. The heavy door opened into the room lit by a night lamp. Grey walls were made of a solid rock that didn't have any cracks as if it was carved in a cliff. Karen was pretty sure Mr. Wallace worked hard to make this room. Bass-reliefs of forest life with animals and trees, of ocean inhabitants and those creatures, who lived in the far north, decorated three walls of the room. Birds watching you from the clouds were on the ceiling, while on the wooden door to the bathroom a colorful rainbow and a smiling sun were carved and painted. Karen switched on the light to see the room in detail. Near the bathroom was a rolling door wardrobe made of oak with funny colorful fairy tale characters on it. The bed was standing opposite the wardrobe and the table was near the bed with some shelves with books above it.

Eva was lying in the bed plugged to an IV tube. She looked so small and helpless. Karen couldn't tell, if the girl was dead or alive. She didn't hear Eva's breathing and girl's skeleton chest didn't move but the woman knew, the child could be in this lethargic state for a month. So, she sat near the bed on a chair, touched Eva's bony fingers and started talking to her as if the girl could hear her.

This was their last day in the loop. Children got already used to these two immortals. Therefore, they were quite disappointed by their soon departure as well as Alma, even if she was pretty angry at Mr. Drummond, who put his own niece into a vault with stony walls and that horrible door like she was a criminal. She didn't let children stay a little bit late because her guests had to go early in the morning and she wanted them to have a proper rest. Karen showed willingness to sleep in the vault with Eva while Aaron stayed in the living room where he has spent all his nights since the day he brought his little niece to the loop.

Jake woke up of a female voice coughing and calling for help. He smelled something very much resembling the fume, jumped out of the bed, ran to the next room and without knocking opened it. He was right. Olive's bed was on fire and it already spread to the curtain. The red-head was still sleeping surrounded by flames while Emma's bed was empty. The boy looked up and saw the blonde girl floating in the air hitting the ceiling all the time she wanted to move an inch. Smoke was going up, so the girl was coughing uncontrollably suffocating in it.

" _Jake, help me, please,"_ begged the girl from above. Without thinking for too long, the boy jumped to grab the girl by the hand and with his weight he managed to drag her out of the room still floating like a balloon above his head.

Going out he nearly ran into Enoch, who also heard a strange noise, but mostly he smelled an unusual scent of something burning.

" _Where's Olive?"_ He jumped at Jake with concern in his voice.

" _In the room. She's jerking in her sleep. Probably it's a nightmare!"_ he explained.

" _Fine, I'll take the fire extinguisher. Go, wake the ymbryne!"_

Enoch ran into the girl's room and took a fire extinguisher that was standing near the wall. He directed the extinguisher on Olive's bed and opened it. Water and foam slushed over the red-headed girl. She woke up not understanding what happened.

" _Olive, get out of the bed. You are burning!"_

That was a stupid remark from Enoch's side, because Olive was a pyro peculiar. His shout only startled her even more. She uncovered the blanket and saw that her night-gown turned into ashes. She was absolutely naked. So, instead of putting the burning blanket away, she immediately wrapped in it and sprang on her feet causing even more damage to the room. The moment her feet touched the parquet floor it flamed out. The poor boy had to jump away with the extinguisher. He tried to slush some more foam and water on Olive's feet but in vain. Flames of the fire already danced on the floor.

Miss Peregrine and Mr. Drummond came together, one with an extinguisher and another with some strange rubber cloak.

" _Enoch, get out and help evacuate the kids!"_ commanded the man coughing because now the room was totally in clouds of smoke.

" _Miss Peregrine, I'm so sorry!"_ whined Olive in confusion. She looked around their cosy room that now was on fire. Emma's bed was also burning as well as the furniture and the floor.

" _Olive, stop crying and drop that blanket!"_ The ymbryne ordered stepping into the room ignoring the flames.

Aaron was extinguishing the fire to make the room for the ymbryne to get to the girl. When Alma was standing near the teen, Olive dropped the smoldering blanket and the next second she was safely wrapped in a rubber cloak.

" _Everything is going to be fine, Olive. Now Mr. Drummond takes you out. Aaron, take her in your arms because if she walks, we'll burn the whole house. Just don't touch her skin. Leave her in the back yard somewhere in the middle. Stone doesn't burn."_

Very carefully Mr. Drummond took the crying girl in his arm and went away. The next minute came Karen with a fire-hose. In twenty minutes three adults extinguished the fire while all the children were waiting outside watching the clouds of smoke coming from the window on the second floor. Enoch was sitting in the back yard right on the stones of their basketball court opposite to Olive. He was desperately trying to calm her down as well as Hugh, Millard and Fiona. Others were in the front yard standing on the grass under Horace's supervision, because Jake was with Emma, who inhaled too much smoke and felt pretty bad.

Miss Peregrine in quite a dirty PJ smelling of smoke and in stains of ash appeared in the back yard. Very quickly she shooed everyone away telling the teens to give Mr. Drummond a hand in the garden because today everybody would be sleeping outside in an improvised camping as inside the house smelled of fume. Smoke was still going out the window in the second floor. At least it wasn't as black as before. The ymbryne put a pair of special rubber boots for firefighters in front of Olive, who hasn't stopped crying yet.

" _Olive, put them on, please. I think I can already fry eggs on those stones_ ," she said softly and sat next to the red-head.

The stones under Olives feet were really too hot to touch them. Miss Peregrine pushed up both sleeves of her clothes not to catch up fire if she wants to touch Olive. The girl obeyed the order and put on the boots that were bigger than her legs but they protected the environment from the burning heat of her body.

" _How is Emma?"_ asked Olive sniffing.

" _She'll live, don't worry. Asphyxiated a little, but everything is going to be fine. She's an air-girl, she'll get better in no time,"_ Miss Peregrine brushed some tears from Olive's face.

" _I'm so sorry!"_

 _Don't be, nobody's is mad at you. Now they'll have something to discuss. Tell me what you dreamt about, sweetheart."_

" _It was Victor. He went to the vault to kill Eva. He said if we didn't let him go, he would kill everyone in the house. Then he touched her, she couldn't move. So, he began eating her piece by piece. It was horrible,"_ the girl shuddered remembering that dreadful nightmare.

" _Shhh,"_ the ymbryne took Olive's hand in her long beautiful finger and squeezed a bit to make sure that the child knows somebody cares. _"Eva is in the vault, alive and nobody is going to hurt her. How about taking a shower? We can check on Eva at the same time."_

" _What about Victor?"_ asked Olive knowing that his body is upstairs.

" _His room is the farthest from yours. I think he's pretty good alone now,"_ told the ymbryne giving her hand to the girl to help Olive stand up.

When Miss Peregrine and her charge disappeared in the vault, other children were rushing in and out of the house with covers, blankets, mats and pillows to camp outside on the green lawn of the garden. Everyone chose a place where he or she wanted to sleep. As they were sure that today is not going to rain because it was the 3rd of September again, they didn't care to put up a tent. Mr. Drummond with Jacob made comfortable beds for children while Karen was preoccupied with Emma, who was wearing her weight-boots but couldn't sit down as she needed some straps to hold her to the ground, so the blonde woman drove pickets into the ground to provide the teenager with an appropriate place to sleep.

In two hours or so, when all children were in fresh PJs lying under warm blankets fast asleep, Alma was sitting with Mr. Drummond and Karen outside drinking hot tea.

" _You weren't surprised of that wildfire, were you?"_ asked Karen looking at her childhood friend inquiringly.

" _No, it happened before. I can't even remember how many decades ago. Now it felt unexpected, I would say,"_ admitted Alma.

" _Unexpected? Their room is reduced to ashes! Thank God, we could prevent the fire spreading to the whole building!"_ Karen was obviously in a bad mood after the accident.

" _What causes these sudden accidental fires?"_ Aaron spoke in a quiet voice not giving away what impact it had on him.

" _Psychological problems, Olive's parents kept her in a vault like a prisoner since childhood. Her parents were afraid of their own child, but as they could afford a baby-sitter, they hired one, who was also peculiar. She could turn her body into stone, that's why she wasn't afraid of fire. Unfortunately for Olive, Mrs. Jewels was too old. She brought her up till 8 years old and once didn't come back at work as she died calmly in her bed. Other governesses left after the first day of their work. Mrs. Abroholos Elephanta gave orders to install a radio in the vault for Olive not to feel alone. They ordered special clothes for Olive, but the girl also burned them down. Doctors couldn't do anything with her disease as they thought. That's how, day after day Olive felt herself abandoned and unwanted. The servants brought her food on metal plates, she forgot how beautiful nature could be, she was talking to the radio or sometimes with the servants behind the door because people were scared to come inside the room. There was only one man, who tidied up the room and sometimes spoke to the girl, who sitting on the metal chair in one corner of the room behind an iron curtain to hide her nakedness while he was on the other side. Mr. Abroholos Elephanta was investing more and more money in the projects to invent a fire-safe material instead of paying attention to his daughter who became more and more alienated and depressed until Olive made an attempt to slash wrists. It was a miracle that she'd done it not along but across the veins. Then, I heard about her. You can't even imagine that expression of astonishment when I touched her skin for the first time and she didn't leave a scar on my hand. I talked to her for hours, but I had to leave that day. The next day I discussed everything with her parents. They agreed to let her go and Olive was also eager to get out of that cage. I dressed her in rubber clothes not very comfortable but it melted not as fast as any other material, so she could play with other children. First it was for 15 minutes, until everything burnt to ashes. With time Olive started controlling her feelings. Now only her hands can cause a lot of trouble. However, if she's agitated or worried about something, her whole body turns into a burning stove,"_ explained Alma.

" _And what caused this attack?"_ inquired Karen.

" _She had a nightmare about Victor."_

" _Victor? The one, who died?"_ echoed Mr. Drummond.

" _Whom you keep in the room upstairs?"_ asked Karen.

" _What?!"_ Mr. Drummond couldn't believe his ears.

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _ **Sorry, for being two weeks late with the update. Still, I'm looking forward to you comments.**_


	19. Chapter 19

**The Thirteenth**

 **Part 19**

" _Alma, are you crazy? How many years ago did it happen? 50 or 55? You still keep the body of a dead boy in the house! What for?!"_ Mr. Drummond looked at the ymbryne as if she was a patient of an asylum.

" _Don't forget that I have an 8 year old girl, who is the sister of that dead boy. Every time I ask her to bury him she starts crying!"_ She replied with anger. _"You can't even imagine how hard it is for them to live one and the same day for years. If I didn't give them at least the right to decide some things by themselves, I would exist in this loop on my own!"_ She snapped at the man in a very aggressive manner.

" _Why don't we ask what Victor wants?"_ proposed Aaron staring at her with a challenge.

" _You mean, you want Enoch to make a puppet of him? No way, that boy already suffered a torturing death he didn't deserve. I won't let you mock at him!"_

" _I don't see this as mocking, Alma. It's a good idea. We ask Bronwyn tomorrow and do as she wishes. You said that children have the right to decide. Let's give it to her,"_ said Karen in a mollifying tone.

Miss Peregrine huffed, took the tray with cups and went to the kitchen to wash them. That night she slept outside at the back yard together with Olive, who didn't have the luxury to sleep on a mat or a sleeping bag because even the rubber cloak melted a bit until dawn.

The first rays of the sun have just appeared on the horizon when somebody kissed Olive in the cheek to wake her up.

" _Good morning, sweetheart. What about going for a swim?"_ asked Miss Peregrine already wearing her swimming suit.

" _I don't know if I can put on my swimming gear yet."_ Teen shrugged her shoulders because she could definitely smell a light rubber odor in the air.

" _It's five o'clock in the morning. It's just you and me. Nobody would see you,"_ the ymbyne assured the shy girl. Olive blushed but went after the principal.

" _Where are you going so early?"_ came the voice from behind the girl and the woman.

" _Swimming. And you are not invited,"_ said Alma turning to Karen.

" _Why so?"_

" _Because I need to cool down Olive and she's an extremely modest girl,"_ whispered the ymbryne coming closer to Karen.

" _Right now I see only you standing in a swimming suit and a girl, who is covered in a rubber cloak. I don't get, why three ladies can't go and swim as they like,"_ she grinned at her friend, _"or maybe it's you, who are afraid to show some flesh, Alma?"_ The blonde woman gazed at the ymbryne with a challenge.

It took both women 15 minutes to persuade Olive to take off her rubber boots and cloak. The girl was shocked a bit to see women standing naked on the beach, especially, for Miss Peregrine as she was always fully clothed. So, neither of the children have ever seen her naked. Even when she turned into a bird, she would fly directly in her room and never appeared from it unless she was fully dressed.

" _Oh, it's cold!"_ Karen carefully stepped into the sea.

Olive left the tracks of glass as sand turned into a very blurry glass under her feet.

" _That's the point! Come on, Olive, dear."_

The woman took her charge by the hand and ran into the sea because she knew that the second she touches water she wouldn't be so eager to get inside. Alma gasped of the touch of cold water on her skin but she went further into the sea lugging Olive away with her. Water became warmer and started to boil around the girl as her body heated it in seconds.

" _Hey, little kitten! Go right after Olive, the water will be hot there!"_ cried Alma to Karen who was standing on the beach not sure if she wanted to get into the sea at all but her friend's remark made her bolder. She stepped into the water and realized that it was a pretty good temperature of a hot sunny day but one step aside and it was the cold uncomfortable sea again. That's why Karen decided to go right after the girl.

" _Oh, it is nice to have your peculiarity,"_ the blonde woman swam closer to Olive but far enough not to get boiled like some little creatures, which lived in water and were touched by Olive's power. This touch caused their sudden death of being boiled alive.

" _It is dangerous!"_ said Olive softly not quite happy of the idea to be locked in a cave for the rest of her life.

" _Today we are going to take care of your nightmares, even if Alma doesn't approve,"_ Karen told firmly.

" _Actually, Alma is still here. It would be my pleasure to watch, how you are going to calm down Miss Bruntley after she finds out,"_ replied the ymbryne.

" _Are you going to do something with Victor?"_ asked Olive in surprise.

" _Firstly, we are going to ask him. After that we decide what to do,"_ said Karen swimming at the left side of the girl while Miss Peregrine was at her right side.

" _So, you're not going to leave us today?"_ asked Olive with hope.

" _Not yet, dad said he would take care of the room that accidentally was burnt to ashes. He would hire the workers and buy the materials for the reparation. Of course, Alma would have to prolong the contract until your room would be in a good condition to live in. In the evening we'll go. We've already spent too much time here. The wights might have started searching for us as their precious healer had been stolen,"_ explained the woman.

" _I see,"_ said Olive with a sigh.

" _Olive, do you want Mr. Drummond and Miss Oren to stay?"_ the ymbryne could but notice disappointment in the girl's reply.

" _It would be nice, but I know this is impossible."_

" _Then, what else is bothering you?"_ Miss Peregrine was quite aware if she didn't find the cause of Olive's sudden outburst, then the girl would unintentionally be burning everything on her way.

" _Yesterday Enoch saw me,"_ whispered the girl.

" _Saw you?"_ echoed the bird not getting to the point.

" _He came into the room and tried to wake me up by sprinkling water on me from the fire extinguisher, I got up but the dressing gown was already burnt down. He saw me naked!"_ Olive pronounced the last phrase dramatically.

" _Oh, you flashed him, girl! That's amazing!"_ commented Karen grinning at Alma who casted the other a killing glance.

" _I covered myself with the blanket immediately but I think he saw me,"_ the teen apologized.

" _Olive, I don't think you have to worry about that. Enoch is your brother. It's not a big deal. I'll talk to Enoch and …"_ Miss Peregrine didn't have time to finish her speech when Karen interrupted her.

" _My God! What bullshit! Listen, if he really loves you, he will never tell anybody about what he saw. This will be a secret just between you two. If you don't tell anybody, nobody will know about that. There is nothing to talk about! Besides, all of us came into this world naked, there's nothing to be ashamed of. Yes, I don't say that you should strip up naked in front of the boys you live with, but this was an accident, end of the story!"_ said Karen. _"And you shouldn't talk to the boy, your children aren't babies not to solve this tiny issue by themselves!"_ She turned to the ymbryne who wasn't quite satisfied with the idea.

Nevertheless, it helped. The water became less and less warm, so the trio had to swim back to the beach. As Miss Peregrine took only two towels with her, she gave both of them to Karen and Olive and turned into the bird, which gave her a chance to shake off the tiny drops of water that covered her feathers. When she turned back into her human form, she was dry.

" _Where were you?"_ asked Mr. Drummond looking at the trio coming back to the house. It was only 6 a.m. and everyone was still asleep after the long and quite disturbing night.

" _Cooling down this young lady,"_ came the response from Alma.

Aaron looked at Olive who was wearing rubber boots and a cloak.

" _Did it work?"_

" _Pretty well, I guess,"_ Alma smiled.

" _That's wonderful because I thought about putting another bed into the vault for some time. Stones won't burn. Only the wooden stuff might be affected but there's not much wood in there."_

" _There is no need. Everything's alright,"_ the ymbryne assured him.

Mr. Drummond came back with Jacob and Enoch from the contractor, who signed the contract to rebuild and redecorate the burnt room. They brought the necessary materials and tools. All kids were busy with the airing of their rooms, Millard, Hugh, Fiona and Bronwyn looked dirtier than chimney sweeps as they were helping Karen, Olive and Miss Peregrine to take out ash and remains of burnt objects from the girl's room while Horace and Emma were watching the youngsters outside.

" _You know, I love this place more and more. You're living like near a crater of a volcano. Each day something unusual happens,"_ said Karen throwing the remains of the chair out of the window, which crashed on the ground with a loud bang.

" _You may stay here for a while if you wish to. I can assure you, my children always invent something new to make each day a unique one,"_ Alma grinned finding the whole situation rather an amusing than a tragic one.

" _I wish I could, but vampires and wights won't let neither ordinary people nor peculiars in peace. Nowadays we have another problem – peculiars, who use their powers in witchcraft. As if in the Middle Ages they haven't suffered enough from the Holy Church and reappeared to have more."_ The woman explained the reasons she couldn't stay in the loop.

" _Still, it was my pleasure to have both of you in the loop,"_ Alma pronounced softly with regret in her voice that her childhood friend will leave the place soon.

" _Yes, I already got used to these naughty, curious boys and girls,"_ Karen ruffled up Hugh's hair when he went to get out another piece of ruined furniture.

In the afternoon Victor's room was full of people. Children gathered around his bed together with Miss Peregrine and her guests. Enoch unbuttoned the boy's shirt and put a huge sheep's heart into Victor's chest. Bronwyn closed her eyes and clasped tightly Miss Peregrine's warm hand. In few seconds Victor's eyes without eye-balls opened and he spoke.

" _Hello, why did you disturb me again, Enoch?"_ pronounced Victor in a strange Mickey Mouse voice.

Miss Peregrine raised one eye-brow in anger but didn't say anything. She would talk to Enoch later.

" _Good afternoon, Victor!"_ the ymbryne spoke to her former charge who was half her adopted boy half a puppet right now. _"I promise, it's the last time we disturb you. I want to ask one more question. Would you like to stay in this room forever or you want us to let you go?"_

" _I don't wanna stay here,"_ was the reply.

Bronwyn started to cry. So, Victor took her hand in his cold palm.

" _I'm sorry, Bron, I can't take care of you anymore. Miss Peregrine does it better,"_ he whispered in that disgusting voice.

He hugged his little sister one more time, said good bye to everyone around, asked the ymbryne to keep an eye on Bronwyn and his heart stopped beating. Children stood silent looking at Victor's corpse. Bronwyn was weeping in Miss Peregrine's arms and Claire put her small arms around Emma's neck. The tweens came closer to Karen, who hugged both of them.

In the evening they arranged a farewell ceremony, where each child put a white chrysanthemum on Victor's shrouded body. Then, Mr. Aaron and Karen took the teenager's body away from the loop.

 _ **To be continued…**_


	20. Chapter 20

**The Thirteenth**

 **Part 20**

In a week Eva opened her eyes but the moment she realized that Karen and Aaron left the loop she fell into a deep and non-ending depression. The girl thought that a miracle could happen and at least one of them would stay but adults always had their own reasons to abandon her. The child refused to talk, to play. Even when another week and a half passed, Eva had enough strength to go outside, she refused to do so. She sat in the room, listened to other children reading to her or to Miss Peregrine talk. The woman wanted to persuade the child to speak and leave the vault for some time. Eva remained steadfast in her stubbornness to live in her own cage.

" _Come on, get dressed. If you don't do that, I'll drag you out like it or not!"_ Emma looked fiercely at a younger girl. _"You make the life of Miss Peregrine and everyone else more miserable than Enoch! Maybe you are his relative?"_

The blonde girl threw clothes to Eva, approached her and unceremoniously started to take her PJ off to put on a plain dress and socks. The child sat still as if she didn't notice anything. Eva let herself get dressed and dragged outside. She squinted her eyes of the bright sun, she hadn't seen for two and a half long weeks and followed Emma to the dining room were other children had already laid the table.

" _Oh, finally! The Appearance of the Archangel Michael to Joshua!"_ Enoch couldn't keep his mouth shut and immediately was punched in the ribs by Olive who sat next to him.

" _Millard, move!"_ Emma snapped at the boy and sat Eva on the left side of Miss Peregrine taking her place next to the girl. _"Miss Peregrine, Eva was eager to have breakfast with us,"_ she exclaimed looking at the child whose vacant look spoke about the opposite.

" _I'm very glad to see you with us, Eva,"_ said the ymbryne gently. _"So, what are our plans for today?"_

Children started talking about different things that they could do, where they could go and what to show Eva. The child sat silently staring at her plate. She didn't take a fork or a knife to eat scrambled eggs with vegetables, she didn't listen to others. Suddenly everyone in the room looked at the girl.

" _Where's my fish?!"_ she hissed staring at Miss Peregrine.

" _If you want fish, Miss Drummond, then you should have told me because I'm not a mind reader,"_ said the woman in her usual hastily manner but still keeping cool.

" _I want raw fish, you stupid, lame bird! You must know by now that this disgusting food you stuff down my throat every single day makes me sick!"_ Eva shouted glaring with non-blinking hollows at the ymbryne, knowing too well that the woman wouldn't touch her.

The silence in the room was absolute except for Hugh's bees, which definitely didn't like Eva's tone. Even Enoch couldn't speak to the ymbryne like that. Jacob and Enoch exchanged glances as they were sitting opposite each other. Both came to understanding what date it might be today according to the modern calendar. They jumped on their feet the second Eva pushed away her plate so fiercely that it knocked down the glass with juice of Miss Peregrine and broke it splashing the orange juice all over the table-cloth. The remnants of the scrambled eggs scattered around the table too. Jake, who got the girl first, was bitten painfully on the finger, so, he had to let her go. Enoch had to run after Eva for a while until he grabbed her by the collar of the dress nearly suffocating the child and in a very unlady-like way dragged her to the vault, pushed her inside and locked the door.

Miss Peregrine calmed everyone down, applied a bandage to Jake's finger and made everyone ate their breakfast as nothing had happened. While others were discussing the morning accident, Eva didn't stop hammering on the door of her prison.

" _Now I understand that Satan was probably the right name!"_ said Enoch to Olive.

" _She's not always like that, but I'm sure, it upset Miss P. She wouldn't have left so quickly if she didn't want to think for a while,"_ pronounced Olive with concern.

" _If she doesn't stop hammering, I swear, I get a hammer and nail her to that door!"_ told the boy in annoyance because he felt helpless in this situation.

" _How long is she going to be in that state?"_

" _Mr. Drummond said two or three days."_

" _Maybe she'll get tired and go to sleep. Besides, she's hungry."_

The hammering lasted for an hour, when only sudden angry bangs from time to time were heard from the vault. Eva began to go tired.

" _How is our prisoner?"_ Miss Peregrine came home in a company of Hugh, Millard, Fiona and all younger kids.

" _She was weeping for some time. When I opened the lid, this little rat…"_

" _Enoch!"_ Miss Peregrine looked at him judgingly.

" _She hid right behind the door and nearly poked my eye out with a ruler when I came closer to see where she was!"_

" _I don't want any of you to come close to the vault while Eva is in that strange condition,"_ the ymbryne warned her charges. _"Only I will communicate with her, do you hear me?"_ She asked them strictly. Everyone nodded.

" _Fine, take care of the food. I'll go see how Eva is doing."_

Alma went downstairs with a huge packet full of fresh fish. She opened the lid of the slot which was big enough only for a flat 4 inch-high tray. She pushed the fish one by one in the slot and went away, when she heard the sound of slush. It sent shiver up and down her spine, but the bird knew that Eva wouldn't be hungry for today.

In the evening the child cried to let her out. She invented a story of feeling sick and even had been lying for two hours on the floor showing the stomach ache, but nothing could melt Miss Peregrine's heart. The ymbryne just brought a tray with delicious fried fish and pushed it inside asking the child politely to eat the meal. The slot had a 7 inch wide board nailed to its edge from the side of the room as in prison cells. So, the woman had to leave the tray and go away. The child had everything she needed, a bath, a toilet, there was fresh water she could drink from the tap. There were some books on the shelves, pencils and notebooks on the table and some toys in the room. However, there were no friends or anybody to talk to.

The next day Miss Peregrine didn't get what she saw. The girl was lying in bed for sure, but as she didn't cover with a blanket and was in pants, socks and a sweater, it seemed quite strange that the woman didn't notice Eva's head on the pillow. The hands were also gone somewhere. She thought maybe there was something with her eyes, so she asked Enoch and Jake to see. Enoch rubbed his eyes twice when the girl sat up in her bed, though he noticed only pants, socks and sweater sitting up. There was no head or hands.

" _Did she become invisible?"_ the boy asked himself staring at a strange figure in clothes. The first who came to mind was Millard, but how a child in one day could become invisible. That was a complete nonsense. _"Either I'm going insane or Miss P. didn't ask us to look at her just for fun. She is invisible just like Millard."_ He shared his observation with Jacob.

" _It can't be! To go insane is one thing, but to change the ability is another,"_ said Jake coming closer to the slot.

His mouth went ash-dry when he saw what he saw. On the bed was sitting a small hollowgast, maybe a rather sleepy one but definitely it wasn't Eva. The creature looked around and pronounced some gibberish that Jake didn't quite catch. Then it looked around again now startled and probably worried. It stood up on its long match-like legs and put its long knitting-needle-like arms on the bed for balance because the first few steps were shaky. It came shakily to the table and smashed the book that was lying on the table on the floor. Now Jake understood that without eyes Eva couldn't see. This revelation made the girl panic. She opened her mouth with perfectly sharp teeth and wormy feelers made their way out. Eva smelled air with them, turned to the door where she recognized a familiar smell. She hastily ran to the door nearly loosing balance on her way. She cried something but Jacob, who was so scared that he smashed the slot close leaving the child crash over the door.

" _What? What did you see?"_ Enoch asked Jake. The other teen looked as if he saw a ghost. _"What? Are you alright?"_ The boy shook Jacob from some kind of reverie the other was in.

" _She is a hollow."_ whispered Jake.

" _Are you going crazy?!"_ Enoch couldn't believe his ears. How can a normal… Well, partly normal child turn into a hollowgast? It was beyond any belief.

A sudden bang on the door from the inside of the room made the two teens get away from it, because the power of the hit was an enormous one. Nevertheless, the door remained at its place. For sure Mr. Drummond knew what he was doing when he constructed that bomb-shelter.

" _She is not as big as the one Miss Peregrine kills every day. But she's pretty much of our height and probably she's stronger than anyone of us,"_ pronounced Jake.

" _We need to tell Miss P,"_ said Enoch as a matter of fact.

The ymbryne listened to her charges discovery. She gathered the other children to tell them the truth and prevent from any ill-advised moves they can take out of curiosity. As her children grew up with fear of hollows, who came to kill them and eat their eyes.

" _Will she eat us?"_ sounded the first question from the smallest charge because Claire heard a lot of horror stories about syndrighasts encountering hollows that didn't have any happy end.

" _Nobody is going to eat anybody. Still, I forbid anyone to come closer to the vault or enter it. I don't even mention opening the door,"_ warned the ymbryne.

" _Are you going to starve her to death?"_ asked Fiona, who didn't like the idea of another hollowgast in their loop but she also didn't want to make Eva suffer because of the unexpected condition.

" _She won't starve. I'll give her breakfast as I did yesterday. I hope she'll eat it, because Eva isn't much of an eater, besides, raw fish. Anyway, I'll monitor her today and if she doesn't change into herself tomorrow, I'll see how we can help her,"_ explained Miss Peregrine still in control of the situation, even though, she didn't have any idea how to turn a hollow into a child again.

Eva was scared even more than the kids in the loop. Thinking of going blind she tried hard to adapt to a new feeling of absolute blankness. The girl screamed at the top of her lungs, though nobody heard her not because there was nobody downstairs behind the door but because hollows had their own voice which was not heard by other people. They communicated in their own language and were invisible to others eyes. It might be an adaptation mechanism that helped them survive. The feelers in the mouth had the ability to smell any fragrance or odor of the place as well as to decipher between the textures of surfaces. They could orient in space depending on their hearing, sense of smell, tactile function.

When Miss Peregrine pushed the tray with food into the slot, Eva ran to the door screaming to let her out, to help her with that blindness. The bird didn't hear anything, just the sound of something big smashing over the steel door and the tray of food falling down on the floor. Instead of looking to see what was wrong, the ymbryne hastily closed the lid of the slot leaving the child in her own nightmare.

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _Dear readers, sorry for not being able to update sooner. I have a lot of work and too little time to write. I hope you understand._


	21. Chapter 21

**The Thirteenth**

 **Part 21**

" _Where is Mr. Portman?"_ Miss Peregrine raised her eyebrow looking at Emma, who suddenly averted her gaze.

" _He… He went somewhere with Enoch,"_ the blonde girl lied.

" _And where exactly did they go with Enoch?"_ insisted the ymbryne the sixth sense telling her that something wrong might have been happening right now as it usually was when her children misbehaved.

" _They didn't tell me,"_ said Emma quite sure of the place where the two boys headed.

" _Fine, Miss Bloom. If they went to see how Eva is doing, then let God help them,"_ told the ymbryne and briskly went away.

The teens were standing near the door to the vault room where Eva was imprisoned.

" _Do you see her? What is she doing?"_ asked Enoch in a whisper.

" _I don't know. I can't tell exactly. She's touching walls with her feelers. Looks disgusting!"_ He made a wry face. _"I think she can't see anything, that's why she tries to feel the objects with those feelers."_

At that moment Eva's head turned to the door. In two big jumps she was in front of it as if she saw everything that was around or at least the child got used to the surroundings.

" _Enoch, is that you? Please, help me! Please, let me out! Don't leave me here, please! I can't see anything. I'm so scared!"_ begged the creature who not long ago was not quite a pretty but more human than beasty nine year old girl. If she had eyes, she might have cried. Eva didn't have that possibility, still she could wail in order to convince the two to get her out of the cell.

Enoch didn't hear a thing, though, he saw a sweater, pants and socks approaching the door. He made a step back afraid to be caught flatfooted. Probably too many scary stories told by Miss Peregrine about hollowgasts and some of them read in scientific books written by peculiars made him beware of everything he couldn't see with his own eyes. On the other hand, Jacob heard the words and to his surprise understood them. His ability wasn't just seeing the hollowgasts but also understanding them. It was a miraculous revelation for the teen. The boy had no idea how to communicate, though.

" _Why did she come so close to the door?"_ asked Enoch.

" _She's asking to let her out,"_ Jake whispered and quickly understood that Eva's hearing now was much better than of any human being.

" _Jake?!"_ She asked. _"Please, open the door. I can't sit here anymore. Please, ask Miss Peregrine to send for a doctor. I can't see anything!"_ She pleaded.

" _OK, Eva. I'm not sure any doctor can help you,"_ he pronounced in English.

" _Why?"_ asked the creature in her own language.

" _Because you're a hollowgast,"_ he told the truth.

Now everything was crystal clear. Enormous hunger that Eva couldn't control, even after eating the awful breakfast scattered on the floor when the tray fell down, right now seemed to be normal. She knew, who she was, accepted the idea and saw the goal.

" _Please, let me out. I won't do no harm. I can't see anything,"_ she cried.

" _I'll tell Miss Peregrine,"_ Jacob turned to leave when two feelers penetrated the slot on the door and curled on teenager's neck pulling him up in the air. As the feeler came from the mouth, the girl didn't speak. She put all her strength to squeeze his neck, to make him open the door. Eva didn't think much that it was really hard to do when somebody was suffocating you. Jake gripped the feeler like a vice hammering with his feet on the door trying to unclasp the feeler with his hands. At the same time Enoch, who saw the other boy suffocating and struggling with something invisible, couldn't come with anything better than sliding the lid of the slot. A howling scream sounded only for Jake's ears. The boy fell half unconscious on the floor coughing when Miss Peregrine entered the scene. Three of them heard something big and heavy banging over the metal door from inside of the room.

" _What happened here?"_ She rushed to Jake, gave him a hand to get up to his feet.

" _Eva attacked Jake from behind the door,"_ explained Enoch in a shock.

" _She wouldn't have done that if you two were outside with others!"_ The ymbryne reprimanded. _"That's very wise of you for keeping the door closed. Still, both of you are grounded!"_

Till the end of the day children exchanged their opinions about Enoch and Jake's adventure. Enoch reminded the others that to accept the girl was the worst idea from the beginning. He emphasized the fact that he was against her from the time Aaron appeared with his niece. Emma also shared his opinion together with Hugh, Millard while Jake, Olive, Horace and Fiona told of so many miracles happened in the loop since Eva became the part of their peculiar squad. The twins were scared and decided to turn her into a stone if the girl somehow escapes the vault prison. Bronwyn also was eager to fight with the newbie if Miss Peregrine was in danger. Little Claire said the ymbryne that she would sacrifice Miss Mary, her favorite doll, and Mr. Bunny, her favorite fluffy toy, if Miss Peregrine could turn Eva into half amphibian half human again. The bird just kissed her little princess and told her to wait until tomorrow.

The woman couldn't sleep all night long tossing and turning in her bed. With the first rays of sun she descended into the vault, carefully opened the lid of the slot to see what the girl was doing. Alma spotted the child on the floor asleep. She could see perfectly well pale face with bruises and clotted blood on Eva's lips. The child jagged her nails trying to scratch her way out. Stain of blood coming from her mouth was on the sweater. Room looked like after a war. Wooden pieces of the chair were scattered on the floor. A ripped-off arm-chair was turned upside down. Pages of the books were thrown about the room. Only the bed and the table remained on their places as they were screwed with bolts to the floor.

Alma put the key into the lock and turned it three times to open the door. Mr. Drummond did a huge mistake when he refused to install a lock or at least a slide bolt inside the room. In this case the ymbryne could have locked the room from the inside to protect her children if Eva was violent again. She crossed the room stepping on the pages of the books and kneeled beside the child. The girl heard it and woke with a start.

" _Shhh, it's only me."_ Very gently she touched girl's face with the gloved hand when Eva started to cry. The child hugged her craving for peace, for somebody to soothe her pain.

" _Solly,"_ she pronounced thick of speech. This immediately got Miss Peregrine's attention.

" _Look at me, child! Can you open your mouth?"_

Girl's tongue was injured and swelled up. She had not so deep but a cut at the left side of it. Enoch must have jerked the lid of the slot too hastily trying to save Jacob from the invisible disaster but now the child was suffering. The ymbryne figured out where the blood on the girl's sweater came from.

" _Does it hurt?"_ A silly question but she needed to know how painful it was to the child.

" _Ve-jy,"_ came the answer and more tears streamed down Eva's cheeks.

" _My poor girl,"_ she wiped away some tears. _"Let's wash your face and hands. I have to see what other injuries you've got."_

The bathroom was also a mess. The remnants of the mirror were partially on the floor and partially in the sink. The shower curtain was in the bath together with a bar of soap, a tooth brush and cotton swabs. All of this was powdered with the dentifrice.

" _Nice!"_ The bird sighed looking at the destruction. _"Wait until I gather all the mirror glass from the floor and the sink."_

The child didn't move anywhere. Eva stood and watched the woman collecting he glass with her gloved fingers and throwing it into the trash bin. She was too stunned with the pain and destruction caused to do anything stupid.

In half of an hour Eva was sitting in the living room where Alma was treating to her wounds.

" _Are you hungry?"_ asked the woman observing her work. She has bandaged both hands, applied some antiseptic to scratches and bruises and applied plaster to some small wounds.

The child answered with a nod as it was extremely painful to get her tongue around the words.

" _I can make a painkiller injection in the tongue but it might get stiff,"_ said Miss Peregrine without the least hidden motive.

Eva covered her half open mouth with both hands and looked at the principal in such horror that it confused the ymbryne.

" _It the only thing I can do in this situation,"_ she explained trying to calm down the girl.

Eva shook her head from side to side showing her total disagreement with the suggestion.

" _Let's prepare something liquid for you not to chew."_ Alma put on the apron and began cooking while Eva was helping her with some tiny tasks.

Enoch, who was on duty today, entered the kitchen and stopped at the doorway. He stared at Eva who was nonchalantly drinking something from the glass with a straw.

" _Why did you let her out?_ _Mr. Drummond said that strange condition might last for 3 days. Today is the third one."_ He looked interrogatingly at the bird.

" _Good morning to you too, Mr. O'Connor! By the way, you injured her tongue badly yesterday. Any apologies for that?"_ The woman was as strict as usual.

" _This monster nearly suffocated Jacob! What should I have done?!"_ Enoch resented her administrative tone.

" _You shouldn't appear in the vault at first place! I warned you about her state. Still, you always know better! Now wake up Mr. Portman and go tidy up Eva's room!"_ She snapped at already boiling teen, who considered it wiser not to contradict the principal but do as she asked because he saw that Eva couldn't even close her mouth shut because of the tongue damage. He could only imagine where the other bruises came from.

" _Di.. I hult Jake?"_ pronounced the girl chewing half of words.

" _He has a great purple mark on his neck. He'll live, you don't need to worry."_

" _I'm solly. I don' 'membel anythin'."_ Eva closed her eyes tight because each word was extremely painful.

" _Don't talk, go and take a notebook and a pen from your room. You'll need them to talk. I think for a couple of days."_

The child nodded, put the empty glass in the dishwasher and left the kitchen. Even though, she didn't feel well and every single part of her sore body hurt, Eva helped the boys with the cleaning. The girl wrote her apologies to Jake, who said that it was his own fault. Then the trio joined the kids at the table.

" _Hurray! You're back!"_ Claire hugged the amphibian girl with all her might the minute Eva came into the room.

" _G'monin',"_ replied the girl returning the hug.

" _Are you hurt?"_ the little one asked worriedly.

Eva took her notebook out of the pocket and wrote something which Claire spelled out.

" _I ca-n-t ta-l-k. M-y to-un-g is swol-len."_

Miss Peregrine had lessons on reading with Claire three times a week. Still, without much progress as the brain of a five-year old was the brain of a five-year old no matter how much time they spent reading the books.

" _Did you bite your tongue? Show me!"_ Claire gazed at Eva in surprise.

The older girl showed her tongue which again caused pain.

" _Yikes! There's a cut on the side. Miss Peregrine has to strap it!"_

Everyone in the room laughed.

 _ **To be continued…**_


	22. Chapter 22

**The Thirteenth**

 **Part 22**

Children and Miss Peregrine got used to the newcomer. Eva was eager to play with other little kids in everything they liked from doll tea-parties, hide and seek, freeze or family game where Eva was a father, Bronwyn - a mother with three children – naughty twins and sweet Claire. She researched the island with the help of Hugh, Fiona and Millard. Eva liked to listen to Horace unending stories read in the books and to Millard's observation of scientific facts. She always helped the older ones to keep an eye on smaller ones, even though she was just one year older than Bronwyn that meant she didn't have the privilege to belong to Jake, Emma and the like but she has never ran away and was pretty obedient except for the days when she couldn't control herself.

After two months of living with them Alma knew girl's strengths and weaknesses. Eva wasn't good at mathematics or sciences, she couldn't play any musical instrument due to the shape of her membranous hands but she had an angelic voice and was quite crafty at any kind of arts from modeling to painting. The painting looked strange, though, as Eva saw everything in the ultra-violet spectrum. The pictures even factually correct and done with a great skill lacked true colors. A human being was usually depicted very life-like could be painted in all possible colors going from one side of the face and body to another in a mixture of a rainbow palette that expanded as a drop of petrol in a puddle left after the rain. It looked enigmatic and puzzling at the same time.

Eva had an infinite imagination. Raised by Catherine in a very severe way, running and hiding most of the time, she didn't need a company to start a game but if she did something, others immediately were intrigued and got into the game without noticing. One day everyone spend the whole day sitting on the branches of an oak tree because the girl said that the Deluge didn't leave a piece of a dry land and they had to sail through a non-ending sea to find the spot where they could stop. They persuaded Miss Peregrine to involve into this game by giving her an honorable role of a dove, which descended from above to show them the way.

On the 13th day of the next month Eva's misbehavior pissed everyone off. She mocked at everybody and drove Millard insane. After he was turned to ridicule during the day in the evening the boy tried to punch Eva but missed. Miss Peregrine realized that Catherine taught her daughter not only to hide and run but also defend herself, which materialized into Millard's bloody nose and Eva's imprisonment in her vault-room for three more days.

If not for this 13th day when Eva became unruly, she was a calm, kind and obedient girl. Now children ran to her with any little scratches or bumps they had in order for the ymbryne not to see their small adventures. Alma saw this perfectly well and was hurt a bit because her motherly instinct wanted to protect all of them for any tiny bruise they had. Still, she relaxed knowing that neither of them would be in pain for a long period of time. This calmed down her wounded pride.

" _Soon will be Christmas!"_ said Jake sitting in the circle with other kids while Miss Peregrine with Olive and Bronwyn went shopping for food as their fridge was almost empty.

" _Soon?! It's three weeks until Christmas!"_ Enoch retorted.

" _That's great! We'll have time to prepare!"_ answered Jake.

" _Prepare for what? We don't celebrate Christmas. There are too many people here. Miss Peregrine can't do presents to all of us. Besides, we live in the loop for too long and it's nothing but boring because everyone knows what the other can think of,"_ said Emma without any enthusiasm to participate in that fool's errand.

" _Why not to play secret Santa?"_ proposed Horace.

" _No, this would be awful as usual!"_ neglected Millard. _"Not many of us can create a good present."_

" _I'd rather we did. At least it would be fun!"_ Eva turned on the heat.

" _We can put up a good show! Why not to perform some kind of a play?"_ asked Jake.

" _That's a wonderful idea!"_ Fiona took up an initiative.

" _We could even do a musical!"_ said Horace.

" _A musical? Who in this merry company can sing except Eva?"_ Enoch rolled up his eyes in disbelief of such stupidity as making a musical.

" _Everyone! You just need to have a good song that corresponds to your ability of singing, that's it,"_ said Eva.

" _Yeah, says the one who can sing anything from opera to jazz!"_ Enoch disagreed.

" _Enoch, I'll find you the song that you can sing but you'll also take part in a dance. Do we have a deal?"_ Eva squeezed her hollow eyes and stretched her arm towards the older boy.

" _Fine, if I don't, you'll do my chores about the house for a month,"_ Enoch shook her hand.

" _Promise not to cheat!"_ the girl pouted.

" _I promise!"_ Enoch pronounced stately.

" _Let's also play Secret Santa!"_ Claire repeated the proposed idea. _"Please, please, please!"_

" _We can do anything but we need to make Miss Peregrine agree too,"_ said Hugh skeptically.

That day at lunch they let the ymbryne into their plans. To everybody's amusement she agreed to give them the second half of each day to do everything they like. By the same token Enoch, Olive, Jake, Emma and Horace promised to keep an eye on the others, while Eva was responsible for their wellbeing.

In the evening each of them took a name from a hat and mostly remained pleased with what they've got.

The next day twins came to Eva as only she and Miss Peregrine could understand them and they didn't want to bother the principal.

" _Oh, you have Olive and Enoch. That's nice! I'll help you with pleasure. We just need to ask Miss P. to go fishing,"_ said the girl to the boys. After that she spoke to Emma and Jake, who also agreed to help the two boys. Emma with Jake went to the sunk-ship and brought the whole skeleton for one twin and Eva found beautiful shells for a necklace. Jake made tiny holes in the shells and Thomas put them all together on a string. The present for Olive was ready.

The ymbryne gave each of her children some pocket money. As they didn't spend it, they decided to buy the presents or what they needed for secret Santa and performance. Miss Peregrine gave one day for the kids to go shopping on land. They didn't have to leave the loop. Only Eva was permitted to get out of the loop for several hours together with the woman, so they both bought everything according to the list peculiars gave them.

For three weeks in a row children gathered in small groups, discussed and rehearsed something together, helped each other and let the ymbryne have some rest. Miss Peregrine also didn't intervene if they had disagreements or arguments. She gave them the opportunity to solve problems by themselves as they excluded her from the theatrical performance, which she usually organized. Alma didn't stir a finger even when Enoch ran after Millard promising to kill him. The invisible boy was stripping down on the run to disappear from Enoch's sight. Eva was in the shed together with Horace and Olive working on some pieces of standing sets. For that reason, Millard could be unalarmed that she would see him naked.

Finally, the Christmas eve came. The decorations and the scenery were set, instruments prepared and actors ready to perform. Miss Peregrine allowed children to show their production after she has reset the loop. So, they had only one spectator but that was even more nerve-wrecking.

The first scene showed a father and a mother with two pretty girls. They were decorating house for Christmas. Olive and Jake sang "We need a little Christmas" Bronwyn and Claire sang along the chorus. Suddenly a postman (Horace) knocked on the door with a call-up order for Jake. He had to join the army. Millard and Hugh played two soldiers, who performed "Captain Jack" by doing some push-ups, shooting toy pistols and dancing. It followed by a farewell scene of Jake going to war and Olive singing "Ain't no sunshine when she's gone" but they changed the lyrics a little to make them match the moment. Bronwyn and Claire hugged Olive in the end of the scene when two snowmen appeared on stage. The twins danced and made difficult acrobatic stunts and finally stole Claire, leaving a note that she was chosen to be the princess of the Winter Lady and she'll never come back. Bronwyn was the one who went to rescue her sister.

The show included adventures of Bronwyn, whose warm clothes were stolen by the two outlaws (Hugh and Millard), she was saved by the Mother Nature (Fiona), who expressed everything in a beautiful dance. Then, a good sorcerer (Enoch) helped Bronwyn to get to the castle of the Winter Lady played by Emma, where Claire had to put together a puzzle from tiny pieces of ice to write the word "eternity" for the Winter Lady to rule the world forever. The sorcerer melted Winter Lady's heart and stopped the blizzard which was brought to life by Emma. She used her air power against white ribbons that hang down from the oak tree under which they staged the whole story. Bronwyn brought Claire back home and Jake returned to his family. The final scene was lovely where all children sang acapella "Winter wonderland".

" _This is marvelous and splendid! I don't have words to express everything I feel,"_ confessed the ymbryne. _"Just one question, I haven't seen Eva in this performance, why?"_

" _Miss P., Eva was the main music director of everything you've seen today,"_ said Emma.

" _For sure, some of the songs I haven't heard before,"_ admitted the bird.

" _We remade them a little to fit the play,"_ told Olive.

" _Who has done the scenery?"_

" _Everyone but costumes were made by Horace, Emma, Olive and Fiona,"_ said Enoch, who couldn't forget that Millard mixed the paints and he ruined one set.

" _And stunts? Actually, my heart sank when I saw the twins doing those stunts."_

" _It's me! But all the other boys helped!"_ came the voice from the crowd. Eva came from behind. She was wearing her usual pants and a sweater while others were standing in costumes.

" _I hope there weren't any big injuries."_

" _No, just some bruises,"_ told one of the twins not mentioning an epic fail where his brother broke the wrist. Eva healed him quickly, so he didn't even have time to weep.

" _I'm very proud of all of you. In these three weeks you were working together as a team. Now I know, if anything happens to me, you will take care of each other. Let me hug all of you."_

They nearly suffocated her in a huge group hug.

In the morning Claire, Bronwyn and the twins were already under the tree looking for their presents. Claire got a handmade pink unicorn with spots from Olive. It had a blue bow, a blue corn and a long white main and tail. Bronwyn got a box of marbles from Enoch. Thomas received a handmade rabbit from Emma and Joseph – a metal toy truck from Jake. Others came a little bit later to open the presents. The most shocking was Horace's gift to Miss Peregrine, who got a very nicely sewn black tea dress with a plunge neckline, a top stitching on shirring at shoulder and waist and a sweeping 7-gore skirt.

" _Did you do that yourself?"_ The ymbryne couldn't believe her eyes. It was professionally done with some extra trimming to the skirt with beige chiffon that made it look gossamer.

" _Emma helped to sew the most difficult parts,"_ the boy pronounced shyly.

" _Horace, I have never seen anything so elegant before. Thank you so much!"_ She kissed the blushing teen on the cheek and went to try on the present.

Millard approached Eva, who was playing with the bracelet which was her present from Bronwyn.

" _Hi,"_ he pronounced and stopped. Others were discussing the two portraits of the invisible boy. On one his face was shown and on the other he was playing volley ball on the beach only in his swimming trunks. _"I wanted to thank you."_

" _You are welcome,"_ was immediate answer.

" _How did you manage to depict the right colors?"_

" _Sun-glasses, they stop the ultra-violet rays. These were your words. Now I understand why I don't like them. They make the world duller,"_ explained Eva.

" _We see it like that every day."_

" _I'm very sorry for you,"_ she said sarcastically.

" _Are my eyes really grey?"_

" _At least in the sun-glasses I see them like that."_

Suddenly, without asking for the permission he hugged her still gripping a box with theatrical grease-paint in his right hand which came along with his portraits. Since the age of eight he couldn't tell how he looked like. Now he knew it for sure because Eva was a wonderful painter. The girl was taken aback by this unexpected emotional explosion. But she returned the hug.

" _I'm glad you liked it. I can do the make-up for you to see yourself. Of course, I won't do the eyes,"_ she proposed.

" _That's a great idea."_

The next thing they saw was Miss Peregrine in her new elegant smart dress. She commanded everyone to go and have breakfast.

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _ **Dear readers, as in my country people usually celebrate New Year rather than Christmas, so I decided to publish it today.**_

 _ **Happy New Year!**_


	23. Chapter 23

**The Thirteenth**

 **Part 23**

They lived another month without any problems, when one day the door of Miss Peregrine's house opened without permission. A middle aged overweight man with black hair on his round head, white colorless eyes and shark teeth stood in the doorway. Millard, who saw him the first, gulped and froze at place because he recognized the guest.

" _You, invisible boy,"_ called the man, _"where is Alma?"_

" _Millard, is there anyone at the door?"_ Miss Peregrine in her usual dress and apron came out of the kitchen. When she saw her brother at the door, she immediately wanted to save the child. _"Millard, please, go upstairs. I need to talk to Mr. Bentham."_

She didn't have to repeat. Millard swiftly disappeared as he also saw Enoch, who was standing behind Mr. Bentham in a very unusual way as if something gripped him on his neck and the poor boy could barely breathe. The kids saw the picture from the outside, while the others looked from the windows of the living room. Jacob asked everyone who was in the garden to hide when the hollow kidnapped Enoch. The teenager saw the creature quite well. He didn't want anyone to get hurt and went to the shed where they had arbalest in case something like this happens.

" _Where is Satan?"_ cried the man. He had a revolver in his hand aimed at Alma.

" _Satan?!"_ lingered the ymbryne, _"Oh, you mean Eva. She wanted to change the name, you see."_ She said coldly. _"Maybe you tell the hollow to let Enoch go and we talk like civilized people?"_

" _Shut your beak, Alma! I give orders here! So, if I count to 5 and don't see Satan here, I'll shoot your precious ymbryne!"_ He shouted loudly for the children to hear him either outside or inside the house.

" _Daddy! I'm so glad to see you! I thought you'd never come to get me back!"_ Eva ran out from the living room and hugged that fat ugly man.

Mr. Bentham was a little surprised by such a sudden outburst of happiness from his daughter but he tried not to show it.

" _You come with me!"_ He said still pointing his revolver at the ymbryne.

" _Certainly! I'm already sick and tired to live in this forgotten hole! That's so lovely you came here with a hollowgast!"_ She passed the man and touched a knitting needle like arm of the creature.

She felt an unbearable pain but clenched her teeth tighter not to reveal her suffering. This decoy helped Enoch. The hollowgast felt so much joy, gentleness and kindness that it couldn't grip the boy as tight as before. Enoch wrenched out from its embrace.

" _No!"_ shouted the man. _"You turn into bird! Now!"_

Alma didn't move. Only the shot at running away Enoch made her do as her hysterical brother asked. She turned into a bird and at this very moment a bullet got into her right shoulder. She squeaked mournfully and dropped on the floor.

" _Don't do this, please! Daddy, let them go!"_ cried Eva with tears in her eyes.

" _Shut up!"_

He pushed the child from the hollowgast, put the peregrine falcon in a sack, then, dragged his daughter by hair out of the house.

" _Feast!"_ he told to the hollowgast, who now could be barely seen as a soap-bubble because Eva had been curing it for some time.

The man shot at least two times in the direction of the children, who were hiding outside. He assured himself that they wouldn't follow. Shooting stopped and Jake ran towards the house with an arbalest. One bullet hit Enoch in the arm. Emma pressed hard on the wound to stop the bleeding.

The hollow went into the living room and was welcomed by Hugh's bees. They could smell the flesh and could definitely see the creature as Eva did. It kept the hollowgast for some time but the books were smashed from the shelves and the sofa was turned upside down together with the coffee table and two arm-chairs. It gave time for the twins, Claire, Hugh and Horace to get out of the room while Jake ran inside. He took the weapon and shot an arrow. It didn't hit the target. He did it again and again when finally the arrow went through hollow's mouth. A strange sound came out of the creature and it fell down dead. Many of Hugh's bees were also dead but they saved not only his life. They died as true little warriors. The boy was proud of them.

When the enemy was defeated, the wounded arm was bandaged and Claire has stopped weeping. Everyone gathered in the dining room.

" _What now? Miss Peregrine is gone. There is nobody to reset the loop,"_ pronounced Emma dejectedly.

" _I've already called the number Mr. Drummond gave us,"_ said Jacob.

" _Yes, and where is he? An hour has passed. Nobody's here! The house will be destroyed in the evening. We need to do something!"_ Enoch hissed irritatingly as usual.

" _We need to pack just the necessary things and leave this home today,"_ Olive proposed sadly.

Claire, who was sitting on Emma's lap, began whining again.

" _I also don't see any other alternative. Take only what you need and can carry on your own. It's time for us to travel for a while,"_ agreed Jake.

In a bustle of the preparation to leave the place forever elder children forgot one main thing – the hollowgast Miss Peregrine killed each single day. While they were packing suitcases and admonished the little ones not to take all their toys with them, the creature ended up in the corridor. There wasn't Eva or Jake to see the hollow. So, Bronwyn was scared to death when something mighty took her like a feather from the floor and raise her up to the ceiling putting three feelers around her tiny body to stop the little girl from any movement she might do. Bronwyn just had time to shriek at the top of her lungs which alarmed Jake, Emma and Olive who in an instant ran out into the corridor.

" _There's a hollowgast!"_ shouted Jake to prevent others from doing something stupidly brave.

Suddenly the creature dropped its pray. Bronwyn hit against the wall pretty badly. Jake saw a tip of the Samurai sword appearing in the chest of the hollow, where creature's heart was. Bronwyn rubbed the ribs trying not to shed a tear but the bruise was quite painful. When the hollow fell on the floor a blonde woman stepped over it and kneeled beside the girl.

" _Hello, Bronwyn. Let me see,"_ Karen put up girl's dress right at the level to reveal her ribcage. _"Does it hurt?"_ Very gently she touched the bruise that was already turning pink.

The child nodded fighting the tears.

" _It'll heal in no time. I promise,"_ she wanted to kiss the girl on her forehead but Bronwyn wrapped her arms around woman's body and began to cry not because of the bruise but because of Miss Peregrine's disappearance.

Karen took the child into her arms and stood up. Jake, Emma, Olive and Enoch approached her watching guiltily at Bronwyn. Others also stopped doing whatever they were doing and went out from their rooms.

" _Let's go downstairs. Jake, take the sword. I don't want anybody to get hurt,"_ said the woman calmly. She didn't want to scare these children even more.

" _Where's Mr. Drummond?"_ asked Enoch.

" _I have no idea. Last time I saw him, he was surrounded by an army of werewolves send to follow our track by Alma's psychopathic brother. That was a day ago. Today I received your message. I presume Alma is not here. She would definitely remember a hollow wandering in the loop!"_ Karen was sitting on the chair in the dining room with Bronwyn on her lap.

" _It was my fault. I completely forgot about it,"_ Jake apologized.

" _Jack Bentham was here, wasn't he?"_ That was a rhetorical question rather than an informative one.

" _Yes, he came with a gun and a hollowgast. He made Miss P. turn into a bird, wounded her and put in a sack. He took Eva with him,"_ explained Millard in a low voice.

Karen scanned everyone at the table. One child was on her lap, there were 11 more at the table and only two of them hurt. That was a great beginning.

" _Where is another hollow?"_ asked the woman ready to put up another fight.

" _Eva healed it before Mr. Bentham dragged her away, so we could see it. It is dead in the living room. Jake killed it,"_ said Hugh.

" _Fine, the plan is like this. You pack everything you need because we have to leave this house today. We also need to get on the last ferry that goes to the land and go to London because there is the closest safe loop for you. Now tell me, has anybody of you eaten anything today except breakfast?"_

" _No, Miss Drummond,"_ answered the choirs of various children's voices.

" _Ok. Emma, Jake, Horace and Fiona, you are responsible for lunch. Others go with me. We have a lot to do,"_ concluded Karen.

At half past five everyone was in the dining room having lunch or supper something in between. Children prepared pasta Carbonara and fried vegetables. They also managed to do sandwiches for the journey. Nobody wanted to speak at the table. They chewed the meal absent-mindedly only to put something into their stomachs. Karen didn't comfort them. Alma meant too much for these kids. There were no words that could ease their pain. The woman hadn't any idea where Jack Bentham took his sister. Mr. Drummond, Karen's father, was gone too. He asked her to run at their last meeting. She didn't hear from him since then.

At seven p.m. children came on board of the ferry. Karen neglected the suggestion of reviving a sunken ship. In 1943 Britain was at war with Germany. Such a huge ship could attract attention of the enemy. Besides, there were lots of submarines and creeping mines in the ocean. It was foolish to go somewhere by a ship without any idea of navigation.

By that time Karen made 3 calls from an old-fashioned phone in the living room to 3 different loops preventing the inhabitants of Bentham's possible arrival. She left two messages at two different locations for Aaron Drummond or any immortal, who would listen to them. She instructed children of how to behave while they will be travelling. Karen took all Alma's savings and told children to take their piggy banks with them. Now every coin counted. Finally, she put on one of Alma's costumes with pants, of course, as it gave better chance to move quickly. She took her Samurai sword, took some bags in both hands and left the house forever.

" _What if we never see her again?"_ Fiona asked Olive, who was deep in thought as anyone else in their company.

" _She's with Eva. Maybe she'll get a chance to cure Miss P.,"_ said Olive without hope in her voice.

" _Better tell us about how you met Miss Peregrine,"_ Enoch turned to Karen.

" _I didn't know she's an ymbryne. One day Catherine, Eva's mother, came home with a small peregrine falcon in her arms. The bird was covered in blood, half of the feathers were ripped off. I thought it was dead. My aunt took care of the bird for three weeks taking a word from me, that I will never hurt it. When my father returned home, Catherine had to travel somewhere. So, she left the bird for me to nurse. I was just a kitten at that time. The falcon already looked not as bad as before. That's why, when dad didn't watch I turned into my second skin and chased the peregrine about the house. To my surprise during one of such games instead of the peregrine falcon I ended up with a girl in my paws. She started pounding me with her fists so hard that I roared at her and also turned into my human self. She promised to tell everything to my father but we came to an agreement. If I give her some of my clothes, she won't reveal my secret. Still dad knew everything about my chicken play. He let Alma decide to scold me or not. Alma forgave me. From then onwards, we became best friends."_

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _ **Your comments are highly appreciated.**_


	24. Chapter 24

**The Thirteenth**

 **Part 24**

The blood stain on the sack, where the bird was hidden, became bigger and bigger. The child couldn't avert her gaze from it. Even if Eva didn't see the peregrine falcon, she still could feel the pain and fear spread together with the scent of blood. Her father was sitting in the boat skillfully sailed by Mr. Barron another wight with whom she was already acquainted while spending three long torturing months in the company of Jack Bentham. The sack with the bird was lying on the deck of the boat near her father's feet. He kicked it slightly from time to time which made the peregrine squeak in pain but was extremely pleasing for her executioner.

" _What did you do to her? There is too much blood,"_ asked Barron trying to hide concern in his voice. He understood quite well, that if the bird didn't manage to survive this day, the whole plan will be ruined. On the other hand, he was afraid too much to anger his companion as Jack Bentham was too unpredictable to mess up with.

" _This mother Teresa thought she could warn me and protect those bastard-children she took care of. I taught her to obey. I guess, by now her precious beasts are crawling in that damn house looking for their eyes,"_ the thought of it made the man grin showing his perfectly sharp ugly teeth.

" _You know, if she dies, we have to find another ymbryne. Maybe your girl can fix it?"_ asked Barron carefully not wanting to provoke something unbearable coming from Jack's side.

" _You!"_ The man pushed the child from the seat near him to the deck in such a way that Eva lost her balance and landed on her knees and palms. _"Take care of your auntie!"_ He barked.

Eva didn't winced or anyhow showed how hard she had hit her left knee. On the contrary, the girl was happy that the monster let her go, as his hand had been gripping her raven hair all their way to the boat and when they went off the shore. Having no intention to show how her knee hurt, she silently crawled to the sack, opened it but was whacked in her head instead.

" _Do you really think that I let you heal her being in the sack? Bring the cage, stupid idiot!"_ the fat man with white eyes pointed at the cage, which was standing near Barron's feet.

Not saying a word the girl stood up and limped to the wight, took the cage and came back to "her so called father". Making no bones of the situation, Jack Bentham gripped the peregrine falcon by the neck and put it into the cage as if it wasn't an alive ymbryne but a dead chicken in his hands. He closed the door of the cage.

" _Now, heal her!"_ He ordered.

" _I need to touch her,"_ said the child staring with her black holes into the wight's white eyes.

The man tilted the cage to one side for the bird to slide to the bars.

" _Everything what you need, princess,"_ he hissed.

The bird squeaked in pain and came silent the second a membranous hand touched her feathers. The feeling overwhelmed both of them. While warmth, love, kindness and peace were covering the ymbryne's body, Eva's heart ached of what the woman has experienced in her life. The adamantine pain from the bullet turned into deep gashes caused by Alma's brother when she was just a girl and then changed into the cause of her limping, a bright dangerous moment when Jack pushed an 6 year-old child from the stairs. He mounted over her as a huge dark monument shouting angrily something about taking the wrist-watch from his room that their father gave him as a present. The 6 year-old Alma had no idea about the incident, but she was the one to suffer his revenge. Nobody was at the staircase except two of them, when another brother Myron ran into the house hearing Alma's shriek, it was too late. The little girl was crying downstairs holding her leg that was broken as several places as well as one of her arms. Jack also appeared upstairs as if he rushed to his sister's crying. Then, their mother came. Jack told that he heard Alma jumping on the stairs as she sometimes did as all small children do. Everybody believed his story, because the little girl was too afraid of her mighty, old brother and didn't tell the exact story to anyone.

The latter Eva didn't see as she could see the emotions and situation that caused pain. Other events were hidden from her penetrating mind. Suddenly, the man jerked away the cage.

" _That's enough for now!"_ He hissed and put the cage beside his feet. _"Sit down and stop crying those bloody tears. You look pathetic!"_ He threw a dirty handkerchief to the child, who sat next to him.

Eva could have jumped into the sea and simply escape the fate of being dissected by wights, but she was exhausted after healing the ymbryne. Besides, a hollowgast was on the deck. It probably came with Mr. Barron as well as another one came to the loop with her father. So, Eva decided to stay calm and quiet as a mouse, otherwise, Miss Peregrine wouldn't survive her brother's anger. The girl vividly remembered her mother's tortures while she healed her wounds too little to understand why he did that to her.

Karen and children managed to do everything on time. They stood on the deck of the ferry which took them away into uncertainty. The expressions on their faces were sullen and worried. Only Enoch, Hugh, Millard and Fiona bravely looked into the future craving for new adventures. Others thought about their principal, about this strange, unusual day and dangers of war, which awaited for them in the real world.

Solicitude of the day found little Claire sleeping in Emma's arms. The twins discussed something in low voices in their own language, which now nobody understood. Olive, Horace and Bronwyn were on the deck watching their beautiful island where they've spent so many blissful years. Jake was sitting near Emma staring at the blonde woman, who was talking to the captain. People on board hasn't even questioned how could she wear a katana on her back in the middle of the United Kingdom. Soon she looked at the squad of peculiar children, abandoned so rudely by their ymbryne, and went straight to them.

" _So, ladies and gentlemen! Listen to me carefully, please. As you already know I'm not an ymbryne and I can't make loops. But I promised your dearest Miss Peregrine to keep an eye on you until she can be able to come back. Mr. Drummond will do whatever it takes to bring her back to you, that's for sure. I won't pretend to be Alma, because I'm not. My name is Mrs. Oren not Drummond as you all call me. I have never been the head of an orphanage and I doubt that I can replace Miss Peregrine. However, I raised my own son, who became a strong, reliable and good man, I hope._

 _My aim here is to take you safely to another loop, which is, unfortunately for you, situated in Dover. We are in the middle of the Second World War and our journey won't be a fairy tale. For this reason, I'd like you to obey me and do what I say without questioning. Now all of you are little soldiers, whose most important thing is to speed march to Dover. I want you to help each other. This means that little ones always have to stay near their elder brothers and sisters. Jacob, Hugh, Olive, Emma and Horace are in change of others. Millard, Fiona and Hugh also help them. I don't want you to do anything brave. I just want you to survive, because Miss Peregrine will never forgive me if anyone of you is gone forever._

 _Your first task is to gather all the bags and suitcases and prepare to leave the ferry. The planes will drop the bomb on your house at 9:06 p.m. They'll cover the distance from the island to Wales in 32 minutes. In this case, we have 15 minutes to go on shore and run to the shelter. Each of you will go in pairs. Jake and Enoch, you are responsible for the twins. Bronwyn, you go with Emma. Olive, take care of Fiona. Horace, Millard and Hugh you help each other with your bags and suitcases. Claire I'll take with me. I need you to stand in pairs near the boarding ladder in 20 minutes."_

Some willingly, some not but to Karen's surprise everyone obeyed her orders. In fifteen minutes a queue of children standing in pairs with bags and suitcases next to their feet was in front of the boarding ladder. The woman just made sure that boys didn't take too many bags on their shoulders trying to ease the girls. She also had a huge backpack on her shoulders, two bags in each hand and Claire was tied comfortably to Karen's body as if she wasn't a five-year old girl but a baby.

" _Fine, the minute we have the permission to disembark I'll lead and you go after me. Try to keep up with me. If you hear explosions, don't look back. Run after me as fast as you can."_

And they ran. Mrs. Oren was right. Planes overtook them after 10 minutes of jogging. They heard the explosion followed by screams of people. Enoch turned his head only to see that the building near the quay was no more. Emma, who was following Karen, began to get tired in her big metal boots, which helped to stick to the ground rather than to float in the air like a balloon. The blonde stumbled and fell down. Karen out of the corner of her eye saw the picture. She didn't stop. Olive and Fiona were at Emma's side. Bronwyn helped the girl to stand up and Olive took the fallen bag and handed it to the blonde girl. It happened within several seconds, though seemed as a lifetime because dust from falling buildings and the smell of burning houses filled the air. Clouds of dust covered the objects and made them obscure. Tiny pieces of concrete and bricks poured from the sky like rain. Enoch, who ran with a suitcase in his hand, was dragging poor twin with another. The little boy shrieked in horror and jerked his hand out of Enoch's strong palm. In a twinkle, somebody would say that the teen lost his younger brother, it was wrong. Like a flashlight, Enoch grabbed the boy by it collar and pulled him aside the moment the remnants of the roof started falling from the house they passed by.

The docks were a mess with people running and screaming, moaning for help when finally Karen turned right and ran into a huge mansion. This was strange as people ran out of it, but the woman ran inside. Olive, Fiona, Millard, Hugh and Horace came after the woman followed by Enoch with the twin, Emma and Bronwyn.

" _What are we doing here? People are running out? Are you crazy?"_ Enoch shouted at the blonde woman, who tried to get rid of the stripes that tied crying Claire to her body.

" _Shut up, boy and stay here! This is the only building which will remain standing after the bombardment!"_ She didn't want to yell at him, but the circumstances were against her.

Claire was horrified. Her small form was shaking and clutching to Karen's shirt. The twin also cried something in his language and was trying to drag Hugh outside because nobody else listened.

" _Where's Jacob?"_ asked Emma looking at everyone around her.

" _Here!"_ cried the teen out of breath. He just managed to jump into the doorway with another twin in his arms when came the explosion. The wall began to crush down closing the doorway. Everyone hurried deeper inside the building.

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _ **Sorry, for making you wait for so long. I hope it was worth it.**_


	25. Chapter 25

**The Thirteenth**

 **Part 25**

When the dust cleared and children stopped coughing the door to the room from the side of the chancel opened and an old man in priest's robe came out.

" _Who are you, children?"_ He asked looking at the bunch of kids of different ages staring at him in surprise.

" _Oh, I'm Mrs. Oren,"_ Karen immediately jumped into the scene to give children some time to adapt. She approached the man and shook his hand firmly. _"I'm the principal of the orphanage on Cairnholm. And you are Mr.?"_ She stood right in front of the man to hide some of the kids from man's gimlet eye. In her long lasting life Karen met a lot of priests and even worked with some trying to get rid of the vampire clan in Norfolk but this one she didn't like at first view. His facial features were similar to an annoying ferret, who sticks its nose where one doesn't belong.

" _Father Donovan,"_ he presented himself shaking her hand. _"If you're searching shelter in our modest temple, you're welcome."_

" _Thank you, father."_ Karen smiled at him. Probably he hasn't seen Millard or the twins yet. That's why he was so welcoming. _"Can you show us the room where we can stay at night? We had a very long day. Children are terrified. The best thing for them is to have a nice shelter where they can relax."_

" _It'll be my pleasure to show you the rooms. But first, I'd like to get acquainted with your fosterlings."_ He told politely not hiding his curiosity.

" _My name's Emma,"_ the blonde teenage in strange metal boots came forward followed by Jake, Fiona, Hugh and Horace.

" _These are the twins,"_ Olive presented two boys who wore sunglasses. Their skin was too pale to be normal, but the dust from stones played its role. So, the brothers seemed pretty normal. They both bowed not making a sound.

" _Don't you think it will be more polite if you took of your sunglasses in presence of ladies? Besides, you're in the temple of God."_ The old man reprimanded.

" _Unfortunately, their eyes are too sensitive to any kind of light. The doctor didn't recommend them to take their glasses even at night. Poor boys have to wear special masks when they are going to bed,"_ Karen explained.

" _What a strange disease. I've never heard about it,"_ said the priest.

" _It's a very rare one."_

Suddenly Father Donovan spotted Millard who was sneezing behind the church bench. He took of his glasses, hat and kerchief that covered half of his face. His invisible face was partially covered in dust which made it look even more hideous.

" _What was it? This is an evil spirit! Run out of here. There's a back door right behind the dressing rooms,"_ he informed the company taking out his string of beads with the cross. _"In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti…"_ The priest began the praying.

" _I'm afraid it's also a disease, Father,"_ said Enoch watching skeptically the old man.

" _I'm Enoch and this is Millard."_ The teen continued.

" _Here, drink this."_ Fiona gave the invisible boy her flask with water.

" _Thanks,"_ came the voice from partially dusty face.

Father Donovan stopped at the spot he was standing opening and closing his mouth still citing something but much softer. The hair at the back of his head stood on end.

" _Yes, Father Donovan. Our orphanage is for children with various peculiarities. They are not like everyone else you know,"_ explained Karen. She saw that the man was in such a shock that he could do any stupid thing now and he did.

He made a step back shouting: _"Get back or I throw holy water on you!"_

He moved fast to baptistery.

" _It won't work either. I understand how hard it is to believe but they are as real as I'm."_ In one long jump Karen turned into cheetah ad landed on the chest of the priest whose hair became even whiter in some seconds. _"Now listen to me carefully,"_ cheetah roared. _"Is there anybody in the church?"_

" _N…o-o-o,"_ mumbled Father Donovan his old body trembling under the muscular body of the animal, who was sitting right on his chest.

" _Nice! We'll stay one night here and go away in the morning. You will be under my supervision until we go away. Don't try to mess with me 'cause I'm not in the mood for stupid religious debates. Take us as you find us. If you have something against it, you may shove it up your ass. Got it?!"_

The old man nodded. She let him go.

" _Jake, find the rope and tie his hands. Olive and Enoch, search the rooms at the back of the church. Close the back door. I don't want any other guests. Emma and Horace, see if there are any beds to sleep or any comfortable place to put the sleeping bags. I want everyone to be sound asleep in an hour."_ Karen turned into her human self wraping over the folds of her ripped away shirt.

The night flew without any dramatic events. In the morning Karen asked Olive and Horace to cook oatmeal for 14 people. They had an enormous pot which the woman so thoughtfully asked to take as well as some food. Olive heated the pot with water. The boy poured a packet of oatmeal and added some dried pears and apples in it. Everyone enjoyed hot meal for breakfast even Father Donovan, whose hands were untied during the eating occasion.

" _As you see, we are not as bad as you thought,"_ Hugh commented taking a spoonful of porridge while his bees danced above the plate. He addressed to the priest, who also had a plate with the oatmeal in his hands.

" _Don't waste your time on him, Hugh,"_ told Millard to his friend. _"For him I will be evil no matter what."_

After breakfast Karen ordered children to collect their things and get ready to leave the temporary shelter. Enoch and Jacob accompanied the priest to the back rooms, where they locked the old man in one of the them.

" _We can't leave Farther Donovan like that!"_ protested Bronwyn.

" _Why, Mighty?"_ Karen turned to the girl.

" _When other people find him, he'll tell them about us."_

" _And what will he tell that he saw an invisible boy? Or maybe he might tell about Claire's back mouth?"_ spoke Enoch folding his sleeping bag. _"They will put him in a loony-bin the minute he touches upon this story."_

" _Enoch's right, Bronwyn. Normal people don't know anything about peculiars, or immortals, or vampires and witches. They think everything is imaginary."_ Karen assured the child. _"Whatever Father Donovan might say, nobody's going to listen to him."_

The woman went to an empty room and changed into a wonderful black and white dress with small flowery print on it. She put on makeup and changed into very comfortable shoes on heels but not too high. Her red lipstick, hair up and a small hat added to the new look. She was adorable. The boys gasped when she appeared with a huge suitcase in her hand.

" _I thought we were going on a long journey not to a party,"_ Horace stared at the woman satisfied with the look but also confused by it.

" _Won't we go to the railway station?"_ asked Millard even more surprised.

" _No, we won't,"_ answered Karen _. "Right now all the people of this town want to go as far as possible from here. That's why all the tickets will be sold by now. The only thing we can do is to find a vehicle to transport you. We can hire it or try to persuade the officers to lend us one until we get to the point. So, I would like to see your tidiest clothes and best expressions on your faces. Millard, please, use the make-up Eva gave you not long ago and please, put on the glasses and gloves. I know how you feel about it, but we need to be careful. Twins will wear glasses and I would like you to be quite silent in public places, if we don't want to frighten the normal people."_

Even though children and teens didn't like the idea of doing the things Karen asked of. They understood that it was necessary. Firstly, the appearance of some of them can cause others a lot of trouble. Secondly, they didn't have to influence much the reality because the butterfly effect could lead to some unpredictable events in the future that already happened. They were aware of it and nobody wanted to make things even more complicated, so they agreed with the woman.

Outside was a mess. Half demolished buildings vomited their insides out in the street where stones, bricks and ruined furniture were mixed with cobblestone road. Desperate people were fishing out some belongings they thought would help them somehow in the future. Others were looting the abandoned houses while the owners were not at home yet. A woman was crying over her dead toddler, who was killed by the tile that fell from the roof. In this chaos Miss Peregrine's protégées seemed like exemplary children from the advertisement where a family was heading on holiday. All of them were wearing tidy clothes. Their boots were shining and each had a bag, a suitcase or a backpack in their hands or on their backs. They were shocked to see the small port town in ruins but Karen was in the head of the procession and nobody wanted to get lost. Even the youngest ones kept up with the pace of the blonde woman.

To their sheer disappointment Karen was right. The railway station was overcrowded. Groups of people came with their families, relatives and friends trying to flee from the city. The square in front of the railway was filled with people from all social categories. Children didn't stop at the point but went straight to try their luck at the nearest car hire which was as crowded as the railway station. Rumors about the next air attack went from mouth to mouth, which weren't unreasonable because Karen knew that they had to leave the town before evening. Another attack at 18:33 would tear the remaining building to tatters. Still, she didn't think it would be so hard to hire a car or a vehicle to take the kids as far from this place as possible. At midday they didn't manage to find anything appropriate. Enoch and Jacob also came with nothing after 3 hours of searching for an appropriate means of transport that they could hire. Little ones started to get tired from all this unnecessary walking and Claire complained that she can't make even a step anymore.

" _Fine, there is a diner over there."_ Karen pointed to the opposite side of the street. _"Emma, here's the money. Take everyone there and eat something. I'll try something else. Bronwyn, are you too hungry or you can come with me? I need some help."_

" _Sure, I'll come with you."_ The girl eagerly nodded.

" _Great. Emma, buy us also some takeaway food. We eat when we come back."_

They left others at the diner. Karen took just a small purse with her and took Bronwyn's hand in hers. It seemed they were luckier this time because Karen and Bronwyn returned in 40 minutes accompanied by two soldiers who were vividly talking to the woman.

" _As you see here they are,"_ Karen told the soldiers who were amazed to see other children. _"Children, meet Mr. Grayson and Mr. Mullin. Their commander was so kind that they are going to evacuate us to a safer place."_

" _Yeah, and how are they going to do that by speed-marching us to the place?"_ Enoch commented not satisfied with the minuscule portion of fish and chips eaten 10 minutes ago.

" _You should be more polite to your principal, boy!"_ said one of the soldiers. _"We have a truck at the unit. We came to help you with bags."_

" _Let's go then."_ Enoch stood up from the suitcase which he used as a stool, grabbed it and went after the soldiers. Others followed.

 _ **To be continued…**_

 _ **It's quite a shame that I don't remember which animal Karen should turn into because I haven't written this story for a long while. So, if I made a mistake, please, tell me. Unfortunately, I don't have time to reread all 24 chapters again as I'm pretty busy.**_


End file.
